By Sonia Rolley (Reuters) -Rwanda-backed M23 rebels staging an offensive in east Congo said on Saturday they would withdraw forces from the seized town of Walikale in support of peace efforts, having previously said they were leaving troops there as they pushed on to the capital.

The M23 rebels, supported by Rwanda, will reposition their forces from Walikale in eastern Congo, following recent territorial gains. This move supports peace efforts amidst the conflict influenced by Rwanda's 1994 genocide and mineral wealth competition.

Rwanda-backed rebels battling Congo’s army have pushed into a strategic, mineral-rich town in the east, ignoring calls for a ceasefire this week by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents as the M23 rebel group expands its footprint in the conflict-torn African country.