Rebels Withdraw From Captured Camp In DR Congo

The rebel group M23 has announced its withdrawal from a strategic military base that it captured in October 2022 in the Rumangabo area in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

In a statement, the group said it would hand over the camp to the East African regional force.

It follows their announcement last month of plans to withdraw from captured territories as a goodwill gesture in line with the agreements of a regional leaders’ summit in the Angolan capital, Luanda, in November.

Meanwhile, residents in the Rutshuru region have been complaining of the group’s slow withdrawal from at least 100 villages it captured since its offensive began last June.

However, the handover of the Rumangabo military camp comes 12 days after the rebels withdrew from Kibumba town.

A UN report leaked last month said that the Rwandan government had provided support to the M23 rebels. Rwanda has in the past denied these accusations.

BBC/Jide Johnson