DR Congo releases 15 prisoners to M23 rebels as part of Doha peace process

What the report says

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has released 15 prisoners and transferred them to the M23-aligned Congo River Alliance/March 23 movement in eastern Congo, according to Al Jazeera, citing the International Committee of the Red Cross. The ICRC said it facilitated the handover, which took place on Thursday and Friday, and described it as the first known transfer of detainees between the Congolese government and the rebels under the Qatar-mediated peace track.

The prisoners left the government-held city of Beni, traveled through Uganda, and were handed over in Rutshuru Territory in North Kivu province. The exchange followed months of talks over which detainees would be included. Al Jazeera reported that the prisoners had agreed to the transfer before departure.

The release is part of a broader agreement signed in September between Kinshasa and AFC/M23 that included freeing detainees as one of its conditions. Qatar said the move could help build trust between the sides and support further steps toward a settlement. The development matters because eastern DRC has remained unstable despite the peace process, with M23 controlling major areas in North and South Kivu after a renewed offensive in early 2025.

More broadly, the conflict in eastern Congo has drawn in regional and international actors, with the DRC and Western governments repeatedly accusing Rwanda of backing M23, an allegation Rwanda denies.