The AFC/M23 rebel group has withdrawn from several positions in South Kivu province, marking a rare battlefield shift in eastern Congo.
Military pressure from the Congolese army and diplomatic pressure from Washington drove the withdrawal, according to statements from an army spokesperson.
The move follows earlier rebel advances, including the brief capture of Uvira in December before retreating under United States pressure.
The United States recently imposed sanctions on former president Joseph Kabila over alleged links to the AFC/M23 insurgency.
Rebels reportedly withdrew from Kabunambo to Luvungi, shifting positions toward Bukavu and regrouping near earlier staging areas.
Kabunambo lies north of Uvira, while Luvungi sits closer to Bukavu, reflecting tactical repositioning across South Kivu province.
Civilians displaced by last year’s violence in eastern Congo have begun returning home from neighbouring Burundi, local leaders said.
Despite mediation efforts led by Washington and other international actors, fighting continues across eastern Congo with unstable frontlines persisting.
In a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Corneille Nangaa criticised United States credibility after a minerals partnership with Kinshasa.
The State Department offered no immediate comment on Monday regarding the accusations or ongoing rebel movements in eastern Congo.
Rwanda has repeatedly denied United Nations and Western accusations of supporting AFC/M23 insurgents operating in the eastern Congo conflict zone.