Seven Million People Displaced in Congo, Towns Recaptured from Rebels, Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis Intensify

Seven Million People Displaced in Congo, Towns Recaptured from Rebels, Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis Intensify

Goma, Congo – Several towns in Congo's North Kivu and South Kivu provinces that were under the control of armed groups have been recaptured by the Congolese military. However, fighting has intensified in other areas as rebels have advanced.

Eastern Congo has been embroiled in conflict for nearly four decades, with over 100 armed groups, most of which are fighting for control in the mineral-rich region near Rwanda's border. This 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 has reported that some of the recaptured towns had been under rebel control for months, including Ngungu, a key town in the Masisi region near the North Kivu provincial capital, Goma. However, some villages in Masisi remain under rebel control, including the Masisi Center.

Guillaume Ndjike Kaiko, the Congolese army spokesman in North Kivu, told reporters, "The rebels have been forced to halt their adventure by the FARDC (Congolese Armed Forces)," listing other recovered towns such as Lumbishi, Ruzirantaka, Kamatale, Bitagata, and Kabingo. Kaiko further stated, "All over, they have been pushed back."

The news of the recaptured towns has created mixed feelings among villagers who have returned to their homes. They remain concerned about their safety, even as they find some comfort in returning home.

"We are in Ngungu, but we continue to suffer because security has not been properly established," said Nsabimana Alexis, a resident of Ngungu. "People continue to die; we just buried someone 30 minutes ago," he added.

Frequent clashes between the Congolese military and rebels have made many villages inaccessible and out of the reach of aid. The most dominant rebel group in the region is the M23, which the Congolese government and United Nations experts claim is supported by neighboring Rwanda. However, Rwanda denies these allegations. In Masisi, displaced camps and aid facilities are under significant pressure as more people seek refuge from the violence, according to the French charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

Romain Briey, the MSF coordinator in Masisi, stated, "We are doing our best to respond to this situation. However, the severe lack of humanitarian responders in the area is making things more difficult."