Doha Prisoner Handover Tests DRC-AFC/M23 Confidence Process

Kinshasa, August 9, 2026 - Fifteen people freed by Congolese authorities were handed over to AFC/M23 on August 7 in the first such transfer since the Doha prisoner mechanism agreed in September 2025.

The convoy left Beni on the evening of August 6, transited Uganda with Ugandan Red Cross ambulance support under Ebola precautions, and reached Rutshuru on the morning of August 7. The ICRC acted as neutral intermediary, saying the operation should help families separated by the conflict and open the way to further releases.

Kinshasa presented the transfer as implementation of the September 14, 2025 mechanism and stressed consent, dignity and security. The government linked the move to operationalizing the MCVE+ ceasefire verification body, thanked Uganda for facilitating transit, and demanded effective and reciprocal implementation while accusing Rwanda and AFC/M23 of repeated ceasefire violations.

Qatar called the handover an important confidence-building step, while U.S. senior Africa adviser Massad Boulos welcomed the first Doha prisoner transport and urged both sides to fully implement the process. On August 8-9, AFC/M23 demanded a complete updated list of remaining detainees and a precise calendar for further releases, while denouncing bombardments of populated areas and reaffirming adherence to the Doha ceasefire and prisoner protocols despite continued fighting on the ground.

A separate Montreux protocol still covers several thousand Congolese soldiers held by AFC/M23, making prisoner management a central test of whether diplomatic mechanisms can reduce battlefield risks in eastern DRC.