Despite recent military gains, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo remains mired in conflict, largely caused by the M23 insurgency.

Several towns in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo held by armed groups have been recaptured by government forces, according to the Congolese army.

The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) said some of the recaptured towns had been occupied by rebels for months, including Ngungu, a key town in the Masisi region near the North Kivu capital Goma. Towns in South Kivu province have also been recaptured.

“Their (rebels) adventure was stopped by FARDC,” North Kivu army spokesman Guillaume Ndjike Kaiko told reporters.

“Everywhere they were repulsed,” Keko said on Sunday, attributing the victory to a joint military operation led by provincial commanders.

Still, the insurgents made gains in other areas fierce battle in conflict-torn areas. Some villages in Masisi remain under rebel control, including a central area known as “Masisi Centre”.

Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in trouble Decades of conflictMore than 100 armed groups are fighting for territory in the mineral-rich region near the Rwandan border. The M23 rebel group has been embroiled in clashes with the army since 2022, displacing nearly 2 million people. Kinshasa and United Nations Accused Rwanda of using troops and weapons to support the “M23” movement – Rwanda denies this.

Conflict in the region has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Since 1998, approximately 6 million people have been killed and approximately 7 million have been internally displaced.

‘We want a safe place’

News of the recapture of the town brought mixed feelings to villagers who fled the area. They feared for their safety as they celebrated returning home.

“We are in Ngongu and we are still suffering because of poor security,” said resident Nsabimana Alexis. “People keep dying and we just buried them 30 minutes ago. Alone,” he said.

Another Ngugu resident, Rita Ritagaza, told Al Jazeera: “We are trying to stay away from the area. The M23 has been firing heavy artillery at our homes. We hope to provide a A safe place away from here.”

Frequent clashes between the Congolese army and M23 rebels have left dozens of villages inaccessible and inaccessible to aid.

“Conditions are really difficult. We are already stretched thin and we face a grim future,” said David Munkley, director of the NGO World Vision in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

French charity Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said displacement camps and aid facilities in Masisi were being squeezed as more people tried to escape the violence.

“We are doing our best to respond to the situation. But there is a severe lack of humanitarian personnel in the area, which makes things difficult,” said Romain Briey, MSF’s coordinator in Masisi.