The rebel group M23, which took the important DR Congo city of Uvira last week, said on Wednesday that it has started withdrawing and will complete the pullout by Thursday. This move comes after pressure from the US, which condemned the M23 takeover and warned of sanctions on Rwanda. The city lies near the Burundi border. M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa told the BBC the withdrawal was "under way". His spokesman Willy Ngoma added the step was "for the sake of peace." Bisimwa asked mediators to protect Uvira from "reprisals, violence and remilitarisation." However, DR Congo's government says the claimed withdrawal is a "diversion" and demands verification. Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya told BBC Newsday that M23's announcement was meant to distract the US team preparing sanctions against Rwanda. He called the withdrawal a "positive sign" but urged caution. "Who can verify it? Where are they going? How many were there? What are they leaving behind?" Muyaya posted on X. Some locals also doubted if the rebels are leaving. A resident said police vehicles from M23 were still moving in Uvira on Thursday morning. The attack on Uvira caused many deaths and injuries. The UN says dozens died, over 100 were wounded, and more than 200,000 people fled. About 30,000 civilians escaped into Burundi. The attack happened shortly after a "historic" US-brokered peace deal on December 4 between DR Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda's Paul Kagame, aiming to end fighting in eastern DR Congo. M23 was not part of that deal but joined a separate peace effort led by Qatar, a US ally with close Rwanda ties.