PWETO, Democratic Republic of Congo - Rwandan forces began pulling out of the key southeastern Congolese town of Pweto on Wednesday, clearing the way for a possible end to Africa's biggest war, but vowing to return if their rebel allies came under government attack.

We are moving out in order to give peace a chance, but we are also ready to come back and fight for our allies if they come under threat, Rwanda armed forces commander Karake Kalenzi told reporters.

Kalenzi was referring to the Congo's biggest rebel group, the Congolese Rally for Democracy, which Rwanda has backed since 1998 and which will remain in charge of the town once the Rwandans have left.

Major Eugene Ruhetamacumu told Reuters: Our forces have started pulling out of defensive positions around Pweto. This is the start of our commitment to the Lusaka (peace) process.

By 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) the bulk of our forces will have moved out. By 11 a.m. we expect all of our forces to have moved. We are doing this for peace, for reconciliation, Ruhetamacumu, Rwandan armed forces chief political commissar, said.

TEST OF PEACE

The withdrawal will see Rwandan forces move 120 miles (200 km) towards the Rwandan border in a major test of a 1999 peace plan, given new impetus after the assassination last month of President Laurent Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At least six African nations have been sucked into the conflict in the mineral-rich country.

Kalenzi told Reuters that the pullback to the town of Pepa would involve three battalions, a total of 3,000 troops.

Rwanda would leave the strategic town of Pweto, which it captured from Congo government troops in November, to be administered by the United Nations and the Rwandan-backed rebel Congolese Rally for Democracy, Kalenzi said.

Five U.N. observers had already arrived in Pweto to supervise the pullback by Rwandan troops.

The capture of Pweto brought Rwandan forces to the head of the road leading south to Congo's copper and cobalt mines.

To end 30 months of fighting in the former Zaire, the United Nations has proposed sending in a small peacekeeping force, provided all sides withdraw from the front.

Under a disengagement plan agreed last year, Congo's allies -- Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe -- committed themselves to pulling their forces back at least 15 km (nine miles)

Uganda also agreed to a 15-km pullback, while Rwanda -- backer of the biggest rebel group in Congo -- said it would pull back 120 km.

Fighting has raged in the Congo since 1998, when Rwanda and Uganda, which helped put the late Kabila in power in 1997, turned on him and backed rebels trying to topple his government.

Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia then sent troops to bolster Kabila's army.

Hopes for peace have been raised by Kabila's son Joseph, who took office after his father's death and has since initiated moves towards reconciliation.

A summit of regional leaders boycotted by Rwanda but attended by Kabila agreed on February 15 to the deployment of U.N. observers and internal talks to end the war.