US welcomes first prisoner exchange between DRCongo and AFC/M23

The United States has welcomed the first prisoner exchange between the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the AFC/M23, describing the move as a potentially important step toward rebuilding trust and advancing efforts to achieve lasting peace in eastern Congo.

Massad Boulos, Senior Advisor to US President Donald Trump, confirmed Washington’s support for the exchange, saying it was carried out under the framework of the Doha Agreement and a prisoner-exchange mechanism agreed upon by the two sides.

In a statement posted on X, Boulos said the United States welcomed the “first exchange” involving 15 detainees held by the two parties.

The 15 individuals reportedly left Beni on the evening of August 6, 2026, travelled through Uganda, and were handed over to AFC/M23 in Rutshuru Territory, North Kivu, on August 7.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) played a central role in facilitating the transfer, acting as a neutral intermediary between the parties.

Boulos specifically praised the ICRC for helping ensure that the detainees were safely transferred to their respective sides. He described the organisation's role as an important contribution to the implementation of the prisoner-exchange arrangement.

The US official also thanked Qatar for its continued cooperation with the ICRC in facilitating the prisoner-exchange process and urged the parties to maintain momentum and fully implement their commitments.

The exchange comes after months of delays and difficulties in implementing the prisoner-release mechanism, despite the issue being identified as one of the key elements of the Doha peace framework.

The DRC government said the release of the 15 individuals was part of its commitments under the Doha process. Kinshasa also acknowledged the role played by the ICRC and Uganda in facilitating the operation.

Washington views the exchange as a potentially significant confidence-building measure between the parties, particularly after prolonged fighting and tensions in eastern DRC.

The United States has encouraged both sides to build on the development by continuing to implement the commitments contained in the Doha framework, with the broader objective of reducing hostilities, restoring confidence and creating conditions for lasting peace in eastern Congo.