For the last 18 months, the M23 rebels have occupied villages across the Democratic Republic of Congo — the more recent two in Tshanzu and Runyoni where a United Nations force pushed them to surrender Tuesday November 5.

According to Aljazeera, some rebels were able to flee while the cornered insurgents released a statement agreeing to disarm and sign a peace agreement with the government.

“The chief of general staff and the commanders of all major units are requested to prepare troops for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration on terms to be agreed with the government of Congo,” Bertrand Bisimwa, M23 leader said in the announcement outlined in the article.

Aljazeera further reported that the government has ordered DRC army troops to occupy Bunagana, a border town in the country which formerly granted M23 rebels with an opportunity to access weapons and other resources.

“It is difficult for M23 to continue beyond the borders,” Laurent Mende, DRC government spokesman said in the report.

“There is no more place in our country for any irregular group,” he continued saying the M23 rebels “were top of the list. They have been replaced by the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda). We are going to get on with disarming them.”

The report noted that exports say immediate peace and transformation shouldn’t be expected in the country. Nonetheless, “in a region that has suffered so much, this is obviously a significant positive step in the right direction,” U.S. special envoy to the Congo Russell Feingold concluded.