France, Dec. 16 -- The militia captured most of the town last week, in a move Burundi called a "middle finger" to the US after the signing of a peace deal in Washington.

The group "will unilaterally withdraw its forces from the city of Uvira, as requested by the US mediators", the M23 said in a statement signed by coordinator Corneil Nangaa.

The M23 called for adequate measures to be put in place to manage the city, including "demilitarisation, protecting its population and infrastructure, and monitoring the ceasefire with a neutral force".

It said it also wanted a framework ceasefire deal reached in a parallel peace process to be implemented. The accord was negotiated in the Qatari capital Doha in November but never respected on the g...