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Congo M23 rebels announce they will withdraw their forces from the town that they have seized to support peace efforts

Congo M23 rebels announce they will withdraw their forces from the town that they have seized to support peace efforts

The Rwanda-backed M23 M23 rebels who are waging an offensive against the Congolese government in the east said that they will withdraw their forces from the town of Walikale to support peace efforts. They had previously stated they would leave troops in the town as they moved on towards the capital.

The government expressed its hope that the decision would translate into concrete actions, after M23 withdrew from planned talks this week with Congolese officials at the last moment due to EU sanctions against some of their leaders and Rwandan official.

This would have been the first time they had spoken directly to Congo's government since President Felix Tshisekedi reversed a long-standing refusal to talk to rebels.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Congo River Alliance (which includes M23) said that they had "decided" to move their forces from Walikale, and other surrounding areas, that M23 has taken control of in this past week.

In a statement, which was met with skepticism by officers of the army, the statement said that this decision was in accordance with a truce declared in February. It also supported peace initiatives.

Unnamed senior members of the alliance said that repositioning was withdrawing in order to "give peace a shot". Sources refused to reveal where the M23 rebels will withdraw.

The source stated, "We ask that Walikale and its surroundings remain demilitarised." If the FARDC and its allies (the Congo's army) return, it means that they are resuming hostilities.

Therese Kayikwamba, Minister of Foreign Affairs, told reporters that "we are going to see if M23 withdraws from Walikale and if M23 gives priority to dialogue and the peace." We hope this will translate into concrete action.

PEACE EFFORTS

The Congolese army did not respond immediately to a comment request.

A senior army officer expressed skepticism about the withdrawal. A second officer claimed that M23 had advanced towards Mubi after the army and progovernment militias bombed Walikale airport and cut off M23's access to the road.

The second officer who spoke under condition of anonymity said, "They have a problem with provision." They will not retreat. "They will move both in front and behind (Walikale)."

On Thursday, an M23 officer informed Walikale residents that they would leave a small group there to provide security while the other soldiers "continued all the way up to Kinshasa".

Walikale, the furthest west rebels have advanced in their unprecedented advance which has already taken over eastern Congo's largest two cities since January.

The rebels captured the city, bringing them within 400 km of Kisangani. Kisangani is the fourth largest city in the country, with a busy port located at the farthest navigable point of the Congo River upstream from Kinshasa.

The spiraling conflict has been the subject of several attempts at resolution, stemming from the aftermath of the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 and the competition for mineral resources. These include several ceasefires which were broken and regional summits that opened up dialogue.

Congo, the United Nations, and Western governments claim that Rwanda provided arms and troops for the ethnic Tutsi led M23. Rwanda denies that, saying it was acting in self defense against Congo's military and a militia formed by genocide perpetrators.

Corneille Naanga, leader of the M23 alliance, dismissed on Friday a call by Congo and Rwanda for an immediate cessation of hostilities and reiterated his demand for direct talks with Kinshasa. He said that this was the only solution to the conflict. Reporting by Sonia Rolley, Congo newsroom. Writing by Sofia Christensen. Editing by Timothy Heritage & Alison Williams.

(source: Reuters)