A key step in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's fragile peace process could finally be underway, as a long-delayed prisoner exchange between the government and the AFC/M23 rebel group edges closer.

Fifteen men linked to the rebel movement have been transferred from prisons in Kinshasa to the eastern city of Beni, where they have been waiting for weeks ahead of the first phase of the exchange.

Officials say the group does not include any senior rebel leaders, and none of the 15 has been sentenced to death, although other inmates on the wider exchange list remain on death row.

The process has stalled for months, with government sources citing health concerns as one of the main reasons for the delay.

The International Committee of the Red Cross is expected to oversee the next stage of the handover, raising cautious hopes that a breakthrough in the prisoner swap could help build momentum for the wider peace process.