President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has defended the withdrawal of government troops from the eastern city of Uvira, insisting the move was a tactical decision aimed at protecting civilians rather than a military defeat.
Speaking on Sunday during an extraordinary regional summit of heads of state, President Tshisekedi said the events that led to Uvira changing hands followed a planned offensive, but stressed that the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) chose to pull out of the city.
The meeting brought together regional leaders to review progress in implementing peace agreements intended to stabilise eastern DR Congo.
Mr Tshisekedi said that on 4 December 2025, the Congolese government signed the Washington peace and development agreements.
He said that less than 48 hours later, fighters from the AFC/M23 alliance took control of Uvira, accusing them of acting in collaboration with Rwanda, a claim Rwanda has repeatedly denied.
According to the Congolese president, the capture of the city violated the agreed ceasefire, the newly signed accords, the founding principles of the United Nations and the African Union, as well as UN Security Council Resolution 2773.
He said FARDC carried out what he described as a “tactical withdrawal” to avoid severe civilian casualties, citing the use of indiscriminate weapons, including drones and heavy artillery, during the fighting.
Mr Tshisekedi rejected suggestions that the pull-out amounted to a defeat, saying the decision was taken solely to safeguard civilian lives.
He warned of serious humanitarian consequences arising from the fighting, including forced displacement, destruction of civilian infrastructure and disruption to health services in and around Uvira.
The president also said that some shells had crossed into neighbouring Burundi, raising concerns about the risk of a wider regional escalation.
Mr Tshisekedi accused the AFC/M23 of undermining confidence in ongoing peace initiatives, including those under the Washington, Doha and Lomé frameworks.
He also dismissed claims by the group that it had withdrawn from Uvira, saying such statements did not reflect the reality on the ground. He maintained that armed fighters remained present in the city and its outskirts.
The AFC/M23 alliance, however, has said it began withdrawing from Uvira on Wednesday evening, 17 December, in line with what it described as agreed conditions.
The group captured the city last week following intense clashes with Congolese government forces in eastern DR Congo.
Fighting between government troops and armed groups has displaced hundreds of thousands of people in eastern DR Congo, a region long plagued by conflict despite repeated regional and international peace efforts.
