The recapture of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo towns, hitherto in the hands of armed groups, constitutes a significant turn of events in the conflict in the region. The Congolese army, otherwise known as the Armed Forces of the DRC, said that areas occupied by rebels for several months were regained, including Ngungu, a strategic town in the Masisi territory and close to the provincial capital Goma. Towns in South Kivu province have also been retaken.
Guillaume Ndjike Kaiko, army spokesman for North Kivu, declared the recovery of several towns, among them Lumbishi, Ruzirantaka, Kamatale, Bitagata and Kabingo. “They [the rebels] have seen their adventure come to a halt by the FARDC,” Kaiko said, crediting the recent victories to a coordinated military operation led by provincial commanders.
These gains notwithstanding, the situation remains precarious, with rebels continuing to advance in other areas, particularly in Masisi, where some villages, including Masisi Center, remain under rebel control. The eastern DRC has faced decades of conflict, with over 100 armed groups contesting territory in this mineral-rich region bordering Rwanda.
M23 has been in conflict with the Congolese army since 2022 and forced the displacement of almost two million people. The Kinshasa government and the United Nations claim that Rwanda supports M23, which it rejects.
The conflict has also created one of the deadliest humanitarian crises worldwide, with deaths estimated at about six million people, the majority due to disease and starvation, and another seven million displaced internally since 1998.
While the news of the reclaimed towns offers a glimmer of hope, it has also stirred mixed emotions among villagers who fled the violence. Concerns about safety persist even as some return home. “We are in Ngungu, but we continue to suffer because the security is not well established,” said resident Nsabimana Alexis. “People continue to die; we just buried someone 30 minutes ago.”
Another resident, Rita Ritagaza, said: “We are trying to get far away from the area. M23 has been launching heavy artillery on our homes. We hope we will have a safe place for our family away from here.”
The frequent clashes between Congolese forces and M23 rebels have rendered many villages inaccessible, complicating humanitarian aid efforts. “Conditions are really difficult. We’re overstretched and looking at a grim future,” noted David Munkley, the NGO World Vision director for Eastern DRC.
In Masisi, camps and aid facilities are facing challenges accommodating all those displaced by the violence. “We are doing our best to respond to this situation, but the severe lack of humanitarian responders in the area is making things difficult,” said Romain Briey, MSF coordinator in Masisi.
