— December 24, 2025 Lead Paragraph: The United States government has expressed dissatisfaction with the partial withdrawal of the Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 from the strategic town of Uvira in eastern Congo. Despite a pledge by M23 to withdraw from the town to facilitate peace talks, the senior U. S.
Official told Reuters that the withdrawal has not been comprehensive, with the group still positioned around the city.
The situation in Uvira, near the border with Burundi, has been tense since M23 seized the town on December 10. This marked the rebels’biggest advance in months and raised concerns about regional instability.
The capture came shortly after Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan leader Paul Kagame met with President Donald Trump in Washington, where they reaffirmed a U. S. -brokered peace deal.
U. S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Rwanda’s actions in mineral-rich eastern Congo as a violation of the peace deal.
In response, M23 announced its intention to withdraw from Uvira last week.
However, the senior U. S.
Official noted that while most M23 combatants have left the town itself, the group has not fully withdrawn.
Some fighters are reported to still be in Uvira, wearing police uniforms instead of military attire. Local residents reported sporadic gunfire on Tuesday morning, and sources from M23 and the Congolese army have blamed each other for the violence in recent days.
Rwanda denies backing M23 and has blamed Congolese and Burundian forces for the renewed fighting.
A report by a United Nations group of experts in July assessed that Rwanda exercised command and control over the rebels.
The recent fighting has sent over 84,000 refugees into Burundi, overwhelming the country’s capacity.
Approximately 500,000 people have been displaced in South Kivu province since early December, prompting the World Food Programme to scale up aid for 210,000 vulnerable people. M23’s advance has cost Congo 0.
4 percent of its GDP, and exceptional security spending nears $3 billion, according to IMF mission chief Calixte Ahokpossi. “.
If (insecurity) continues in the medium term and they have to continue cutting spending, particularly on investment and social programmes, it will have an impact on growth and the future of the country, “he.
The situation in Uvira remains fluid, with concerns about the full implementation of the withdrawal. Further details are expected as the peace talks continue.
The international community is closely monitoring the situation to ensure the stability of the region.
