NAIROBI, Kenya

The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) announced Monday that they had recaptured several towns in the North Kivu province from M23 rebels.

The Congolese army reclaimed areas including Ngungu, Bitagata, Ruzirantaka, Lumbishi, Kamatale, and Kabingo – key locations long destabilized by armed groups.

Col. Ndjike Kaiko Guillaume, spokesperson for the North Kivu army, emphasized the military’s right to defend civilians despite an ongoing cease-fire.

“The rebels intended to advance toward South Kivu, but we stopped them and recaptured key towns,” Guillaume said in Nungu. “We respect the cease-fire, but we will respond whenever our positions are attacked, civilians are harmed, or people are displaced.”

Renewed military operations in North Kivu have coincided with widespread violence and displacement.

The region also faces ongoing attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group linked to ISIS (Daesh). Recent ADF raids have left at least 12 civilians dead.

Since January, more than 100,000 people have been displaced by escalating violence, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The conflict has disrupted the delivery of food, medicine, and other humanitarian aid to affected areas. Many regions remain inaccessible due to insecurity, leaving displaced people without basic necessities.

Aid groups warn of worsening conditions as resources are stretched thin.