M23 rebels have pulled out of Walikale, a key town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The group says the move is a gesture of goodwill before peace talks with the Congolese government. Talks are scheduled to begin on April 9 in Doha.
Since January, the M23 rebel group has taken control of several towns in eastern Congo, including two of the region’s biggest cities. The offensive has caused widespread suffering. Thousands have died, and more than a million people have been forced from their homes.
Walikale sits on a main road linking four eastern provinces. It is also rich in minerals like tin. M23 had promised to leave last month but delayed, blaming the army for not holding up its end of the deal. They said the military had refused to pull back drones used in attacks.
Local officials and residents confirmed the rebels had now left. The Congolese army also said its forces had returned to the town.
Despite the withdrawal, the rebels warned they could come back. “If the Kinshasa government resumes attacks on civilians or our positions, we will respond and cancel this gesture,” said Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for the M23 alliance. He shared the statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Doctors Without Borders, an international medical group, raised concerns earlier this week. They said both civilians and aid workers were trapped by the fighting in Walikale. Medical supplies, they warned, were running dangerously low.
At the same time, pressure is growing on Rwanda. The UN and several Western governments say Kigali is supporting M23 with weapons and soldiers. Rwanda denies this. It says its military is acting in self-defence against Congolese troops and militias tied to the 1994 genocide.
The planned talks in Doha offer a small chance for progress. But with deep mistrust and tensions still high, lasting peace in eastern Congo remains uncertain.