The M23 rebels have started withdrawing from Bunagana, a key town which fell in the hands of the rebels in June 2022.

Bunagana is a small town in DR Congo’s Rutshuru territory in North Kivu Province, at the border with Uganda.

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On Sunday, April 2, the Ugandan contingent that deployed to eastern DR Congo as part of the East African Community regional force (EACRF) took control of parts of Bunagana, Ugandan army spokesperson, Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye, announced on Monday.

"We deployed in the general areas of Bunagana where we set a foothold as we give M23 time to also vacate the general areas of Rutshuru, Kiwanja & Mabenga as agreed,” Kulayigye tweeted.

"Uganda Contingent of EACRF is a neutral force and shall not fight M23. [The Ugandan army] appreciates the leadership of M23 for being cooperative with the Contingent and according [to] our peacekeepers a safe passage and successful occupation of Bunagana.”

The M23 rebellion re-emerged in November 2021, launching an offensive against the Congolese army, FARDC, and quickly capturing key zones in North Kivu province.

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Since its deployment in November 2022, the regional force has occupied areas vacated by the rebels in compliance with the Luanda agreement.

The first contingent of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, on April 2, arrived in Goma, as an "advance party,” marking the final phase of deployment of the EAC troops in eastern DR Congo, as agreed at the summit of Heads of State in Bujumbura on February 4.

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Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and South Sudan have now contributed troops to EACRAF.

Earlier, the regional force indicated that Burundi’s occupation of areas such as Karuba, Mushaki, Kirolirwe and part of Kitchanga vacated by the M23 rebels was a "significant milestone.”

Kenyan troops also occupy areas such as Kibumba and the Rumangabo military base which the rebels gave up in December 2022 and January 2023, respectively.

Despite its gains in persuading the M23 to withdraw, the regional force faces pressure from Congolese politicians and civil society who want it to launch an offensive against the M23 rebels.

However, as per the Luanda roadmap, the military solution is supposed to be the last option.

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