The Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebel group has withdrawn from several key positions in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s South Kivu province, marking the first major battlefield shift in months.

Congolese military officials said the retreat followed pressure from the national army and diplomatic efforts led by the United States.

Rebels pulled back from areas near the city of Uvira toward positions closer to Bukavu, while some displaced families who had fled to Burundi have begun returning home.

The development comes shortly after U.S. sanctions were imposed on former Congolese president Joseph Kabila over alleged ties to the rebel group, accusations he denies, Reuters has reported.

Despite mediation efforts, fighting continues in eastern Congo, while Rwanda continues to reject claims from the United Nations and Western governments that it supports the insurgency.