Rebels are withdrawing from areas they have taken over.

Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern North Kivu region have retreated from territories they recently won in confrontations with government forces.

More than 100,000 people were displaced by the conflict in the province, but local media reports that many people are now returning to their homes in the Rutshuru and Nyiragongo districts.

Major Willy Ngoma, a spokesperson for the M23 rebels, told the BBC that "we have left certain areas to try to make peace."

The rebels had pushed to a distance of around 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Goma, the regional seat.

It's unclear where they fled, but UN-sponsored Radio Okapi reported that they retreated to positions near the Rwandan border.

On Monday, government spokesman Patrick Muyaya ruled out talks with the rebels, referring to them as "terrorists."

"What is the point of talking to a terrorist group?" Mr. Muyaya stated, "There is no longer any opportunity for negotiations."

The branding of M23 as a terrorist organization, according to the rebels' spokesperson, made no difference.

Major Ngoma told the BBC Great Lakes, "Calling us that is useless; it is merely what they [government] think."

The Congolese government barred M23 from discussions with dozens of rebel factions in Kenya in April, accusing the organization of staging hostilities soon before the talks.

The talks have not yet yielded a conclusion, but they are set to resume in Goma town.