Why AFC/M23 Has Begun Withdrawing Troops from Lubero

The AFC/M23 has, since Monday, March 23, begun withdrawing its troops from several areas it previously controlled in Lubero Territory.

Videos circulating on social media show M23 fighters leaving various positions while carrying their equipment, indicating an organized redeployment.

Areas confirmed to have been vacated include Kipese, Munyakondomi, Ivatama, Ilambula, Luseke, and Musimba—localities located between 10 and 25 kilometers from Lubero Centre.

Following the withdrawal, the group’s troops reportedly moved toward undisclosed locations in the southern part of Lubero.

Sources within AFC/M23 say the decision to pull out from these areas—some of which the group had controlled for over a year—is part of confidence-building measures, signaling its willingness to prioritize a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Current reports indicate that Katondi, about 15 kilometers from Lubero Centre, remains the only area where AFC/M23 has maintained a military presence.