The M23 militia group has seized another town in the war-torn east of DR Congo, as the rebels gain more ground, sources told AFP, Ednews informs.

The M23 (March 23 Movement) moved into the town of Kirumba, in North Kivu province, which has been rocked by violence since 2021 when the group resumed its armed campaign in the region.

Kirumba is the biggest town in the south of the Lubero territory, where the group has been advancing, and a big commercial centre with more than 120,000 residents.

On June 29, M23 seized the strategic town of Kanyabayonga, as other surrounding areas also fell into the hands of the rebels.

Kanyabayonga is home to more than 60,000 people and tens of thousands of people have fled there in recent months, driven from their homes by the advance of the rebels.

The town is considered a pathway to Butembo and Beni in the north, strongholds of the Nande tribe and major commercial centres.

It is in the Lubero territory, the fourth territory in the North Kivu province that the group has entered after Rutshuru, Nyiragongo and Masisi.

Other towns near Kanyabayonga have also been seized by M23, according to officials and security sources.