A major border crossing between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi reopened on Monday after being shut for more than two months during an offensive by an armed group, officials on both sides said.

The Kavimvira crossing, located on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, was closed in December when the March 23 Movement (M23) launched a fresh campaign in eastern DR Congo. The post is a crucial commercial gateway linking Burundi's economic hub, Bujumbura, with the Congolese city of Uvira.

Authorities in Uvira and a Burundian border police official confirmed that traffic resumed at the frontier on Monday morning. Jean-Jacques Purusi, governor of South Kivu province, said the crossing reopened at 8:00 a.m. local time.

In January, the M23 withdrew from Uvira, citing a request from the United States, which has been attempting to mediate between DR Congo and Rwanda in the latest escalation of violence.

With Congolese forces back in control of Uvira, authorities deemed it safe to reopen the border. A Burundian police official, speaking anonymously, said many Congolese were already returning home.

However, other crossing points along the Burundi–DR Congo border remain closed in areas where M23 fighters are still present.