Masisi Territory

Masisi Territory is a territory located within the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its political headquarters are located in the town of Masisi. Masisi Territory has constantly been subjected to the conflict between the Congolese army and militias, which has plagued the eastern Congo since the ending of the Second Congo War. militias originating from the Rwandan genocide and the Congolese civil war, and Ugandan rebel groups, are involved in these episodes of conflict, which also relates to Rwandan border security and the control of eastern Congo's minerals by rebel groups and business interests. Armed groups have systematically targeted the civilian population. Masisi Hospital, run by aid agency Médecins Sans Frontières, treats civilians and fighters from all sides of the conflict. The town is inaccessible much of the time, due to fighting, despite the presence of the United Nations peacekeeping mission known as MONUSCO. In July 2014, an offensive in the Masisi and Walikale Territories by the Congolese army and UN forces liberated 20 rebel controlled towns, freeing the local residents. Masisi territory has an area of 4734 km2. Some of the local languages spoken are French, Swahili, and Hunde.