The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has released 15 prisoners and handed them over to the Congo River Alliance/23 March Movement (AFC/M23) rebels in the east of the country. This is the first known prisoner transfer between the government and the armed group, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Friday.
The handover took place over Thursday and Friday, following months of negotiations over the list of prisoners to be released. The ICRC said the 15 prisoners agreed to the transfer before leaving the government-held city of Beni in eastern Congo on Thursday evening. The convoy traveled through Uganda before reaching Rutshuru territory in North Kivu province, where the prisoners were handed over to the AFC/M23 on Friday.
This move is part of the Qatar-brokered agreement signed last September, which includes a provision for the return of prisoners. M23 seized control of regional capitals in North and South Kivu from the DRC government in early 2025.
Stephanie Eller, head of ICRC operations in Kinshasa, expressed hope that this transfer would pave the way for further releases: “We hope this operation will help ease the distress of families who have been separated from their loved ones for a long time.”
Qatar welcomed Friday's release. Qatar's Foreign Ministry stated: “The release of detainees is an important step towards enhancing trust between the parties and facilitating progress towards achieving a peaceful and sustainable solution.” Qatar also expressed hope that this step would serve as a catalyst for further measures to consolidate confidence and meet the aspirations of the Congolese people for peace, development, and prosperity.
The DRC, the United Nations, and Western powers have repeatedly accused neighboring Rwanda of backing M23 with troops and weapons as the group advanced in the east, but Rwanda denies these allegations.
