Congo: Several towns recovered as fight against rebels intensifies

Several towns that fell to armed groups in eastern Congo’s North Kivu and South Kivu provinces have been recovered by government forces, according to a Congolese army spokesman. However, the rebels have made advances in other areas amid intensified fighting in the conflict-battered region.

Eastern Congo has been in conflict for decades, with more than 100 armed groups vying for territory in the vast and mineral-rich region near the border with Rwanda. The conflict has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced, including 100,000 who have fled their homes this year.

The Congolese army stated that some of the recovered towns had been occupied by rebels for months, including Ngungu, a key town in the Masisi territory near the North Kivu provincial capital, Goma. However, some Masisi villages remain under rebel control, including its centre, known as Masisi Centre.

While listing other recovered towns, such as…