The Congolese AFC/M23 rebels have announced that they are withdrawing from all their initial positions to as far as 30km.

The rebels who control much of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces said that the withdrawal is in accordance with the practical implementation measures of the confidence-building mechanism between warring sides, following the agreements of the USA and Qatar, in order to give a chance to the inter-Congolese dialogue that is soon to begin in Switzerland.

However, the rebels have warned Congolese troops against violations.

According to the rebels, in North Kivu, their withdrawal has been witnessed in localities around Pitakongo in Lubero,

For South Kivu province, the rebels have withdrawn from Minova town located about 45km from Sake and approximately 65 km from Goma City.

The Peace agreements also provided for prisoners exchange.

For weeks, the Kinshasa authorities have relentlessly demanded the return of their captured soldiers on the front lines by the AFC/M23.

“In its traditional turpitudes and contradictions, the Kinshasa regime, which has so much demanded the return of its soldiers handed over and captured by our forces on the front line, refuses to take them back today after they were made available to it by the AFC/M23 in accordance with the agreements, ” said Bertrand Bisimwa the president of the rebel movement.