The transfer of fifteen detainees to the AFC/M23 custody was no spontaneous act. Months prior, in Montreux, a confidential agreement had been inked between the two parties and the ICRC. Though the protocol remained under wraps, it marked a critical step forward—one that followed a series of missed deadlines, including an April deadline that came and went without action. These fifteen individuals now stand as the first tangible test of a process long stalled by delays and uncertainty.

By the time their presence in Beni was confirmed, the men had already spent weeks in detention, their exact circumstances shrouded in confusion. Their transfer from Kinshasa to Beni raised questions about coordination—or the lack thereof—within government circles. The ICRC’s role, strictly limited to transportation and handover once individuals are gathered, only came into play after their relocation to Beni. Officials familiar with the case noted that the institution’s involvement begins only after detainees are physically assembled, leaving earlier stages of the process in the shadows.