The rebels, who seized the city on December 10 amid international condemnation for violating the peace agreements, presented the decision as a confidence-building measure intended to support the Doha peace process, according to a statement.

“Given these events, and despite the persistent provocations and abuses by the DRC Armed Forces and their allies, the AFC/M23 has decided to initiate a unilateral confidence-building measure to give the Doha peace process every chance of success,” the statement said.

They added that the unilateral withdrawal from the city, which had served as the interim capital of South Kivu since last February, was in response to a request for US mediation.

On his social media account, AFC/M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka posted several videos of Uvira residents in the streets, demonstrating peacefully, presumably in support of the rebels.

The insurgents’ statement indicated that the withdrawal is conditional on security guarantees and urged the peace process guarantors to commit to the demilitarization of the city, the protection of the civilian population and infrastructure, and the monitoring of the ceasefire through the deployment of a neutral force.

They also warned that they would not allow this situation to be exploited to retake territory or attack populations sympathetic to the AFC/M23, nor would they allow armed groups hostile to Burundi or other countries to use the “liberated zones” as a rear base for actions that would damage good neighborly relations.

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