The Democratic Republic of Congo has released 15 detainees linked to the AFC/M23 movement through Uganda, marking another step in the broader prisoner-release process tied to the peace efforts in eastern Congo.
The release comes amid a wider agreement between Kinshasa and AFC/M23 to facilitate the release and transfer of prisoners as part of the Doha peace process.
Earlier negotiations produced an agreement for hundreds of detainees held by both sides to be released. AFC/M23 negotiator Benjamin Mbonimpa previously indicated that 311 prisoners linked to the movement and 166 prisoners held on the government side were expected to benefit from the process.
Uganda's involvement is significant because the country borders eastern DRC and has been involved in regional security and humanitarian efforts surrounding the conflict.
The prisoner transfers have been a sensitive part of the peace process, with disagreements previously emerging over the location and technical arrangements for handing detainees between the parties. Reports indicated that AFC/M23 had proposed a handover through Uganda, while Kinshasa had favoured Beni in North Kivu.
The latest release therefore comes as the parties attempt to turn their diplomatic commitments into concrete actions on the ground.
The prisoner issue has remained particularly sensitive because thousands of people have been detained during the conflict. Human Rights Watch has documented cases involving captured combatants and civilians and has called for greater accountability over detention practices in areas controlled by M23 and other actors.
The 15 detainees released through Uganda are part of a process being closely watched across the Great Lakes region as Kinshasa and AFC/M23 continue efforts aimed at easing the conflict.
The development could provide a fresh boost to the prisoner-release mechanism and wider negotiations, although the success of the broader peace process will depend on whether both sides continue implementing the commitments reached during negotiations.