Government forces in Congo have recaptured several towns in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces from armed rebels.
The announcement comes as fighting intensifies in the region, which has endured decades of conflict.
The reclaimed areas include Ngungu, a significant town in Masisi territory near Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu.
Congolese security forces, known as FARDC, attribute these victories to coordinated military operations between the two provinces.
Army spokesman Guillaume Ndjike Kaiko highlighted the significance of these gains, listing additional recovered towns such as Lumbishi, Ruzirantaka, Kamatale, Bitagata, and Kabingo.
However, some Masisi villages, including the central hub known as Masisi Center, remain under rebel control.
Eastern Congo is home to over 100 armed groups competing for control of its vast, mineral-rich lands.
This protracted violence has caused one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, displacing over 7 million people, including 100,000 this year alone.
The fighting has disrupted lives and access to aid in numerous villages, exacerbating the suffering of local populations.
“We are in Ngungu, but safety remains a concern,” said Nsabimana Alexis, a returning resident.
“People continue to die; we just buried someone 30 minutes ago.”
In Masisi, aid organizations like Doctors Without Borders report that displacement camps and facilities are overwhelmed.
“We are doing our best, but the severe shortage of humanitarian responders complicates our efforts,” said Romain Briey, MSF coordinator.
The M23 rebel group, accused by Congo and UN experts of receiving support from Rwanda, remains the dominant force in the region.
Despite Rwanda’s denials, tensions persist, leaving the region mired in uncertainty and despair.
