M23 Rebels Agree To Withdraw From Occupied Territory

The M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has announced that it is prepared to withdraw from territory it holds in the eastern part of the country, reports Deutsche Welle.

The militants said that they were ready for direct talks with the Congolese government to resolve disputes in the eastern DRC and begin disengagement and withdrawal.

The statement on Tuesday came shortly after the Congolese government blamed the M23 group for the massacre of 272 civilians in the town of Kishishe in North Kivu province.

M23 denied responsibility for the attack, blaming “stray bullets” for the deaths of eight civilians.

The withdrawal of M23 was a key demand made during peace talks with Rwanda at a peace summit in Angola on Nov. 23.