Emmett Livingstone
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The streets of Uvira were mostly deserted early on Wednesday morning.
Congolese troops had retreated, leaving an eerie calm punctured only by sporadic gunfire.
After a week of heavy fighting, M23 rebels were on the outskirts of the town, strategically located on the border with Burundi.
But by the afternoon, the rebel group announced that it had taken full control.
It's a huge blow to the Congolese government, and to President Trump, who hosted the presidents of Congo and Rwanda last week in a ceremony that was meant to mark the end of conflict in eastern Congo.
For NPR News, I'm Emmett Livingstone in Kinshasa.
The Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan leader Paul Kagame signed a peace deal at what's been renamed the Donald J. Trump Institute for Peace.
Both African leaders thanked Trump and said the deal offers the strongest yet chance for peace.
DR Congo and Rwanda nearly descended into war earlier this year after M23 rebels who were backed by Rwanda captured the two largest cities in eastern Congo.
While there's some optimism that the U.S.-brokered peace deal will yield results, heavy fighting continues.
And at the ceremony in Washington, there was tension in the air.
Chisegedi and Kagame, who are bitter enemies, didn't shake hands.
For NPR News, I'm Emmett Livingstone in Kinshasa.
The Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan leader Paul Kagame are due at the newly renamed Donald J. Trump Institute for Peace in Washington, where they'll sign off on a peace agreement between their countries.
While there's some optimism that the US-brokered peace initiative will yield results, that hope is slim.
Congo and Rwanda already agreed to the deal over the summer, but it's hardly been implemented.
Heavy fighting with M23 rebels in eastern Congo continued this week.
It's a tense but symbolic moment.
Tshisekedi and Kagame are bitter enemies.
Earlier this year, the two African countries nearly descended into war after M23 rebels, who are backed by Rwanda, captured eastern Congo's two largest cities.