Democratic Republic of Congo’s army on Tuesday said it had taken back the eastern town of Kalembe a day after it was seized by M23 rebels.

Kalembe, a small town in Walikale territory in militia-plagued North Kivu, came under M23 control on Sunday morning when rebels seized it from Congolese armed forces and the Wazalendo alliance of pro-government armed groups.

Military troops were flown in on helicopters on Monday morning to deal with the situation, he said.

An official from Walikale territory, Kabaki Alimasi, confirmed the army had taken the town back but said fighting continued nearby.

“The M23 are not far,” he said. “We can hear gunfire, the population that fled has not yet returned.”

Negotiations between Congo and Rwanda are taking place in the Angolan capital Luanda as part of a long-running effort to curb the fighting.