More than 200 M23 rebel fighters have reportedly taken refuge in Uganda following their defeat in Virunga National Park,Colonel Olivier Hamuli, the North Kivu army spokesperson has said.

Hamuli told local media on phone from Bunagana on Wednesday morning that the rebels crossed into Uganda and Rwanda after they were dislodged by from Runyonyi and chanzu hills in Eastern DRC.

According to Hamuli, government troops have taken full control of areas formerly under the rebel occupation for over 20 months.

He says that during the raid on Chanzu government forces found hundreds of recruits but they were released to return to their homes.  On Wednesday, Bertrand Bisiimwa, the leader of the M23 rebels announced their decision to lay down their arms and enter negotiations with the Kinshasa government.

The decision by the rebels to disarm follows a raid on their bases by Congolese government backed by the UN brigade comprised of Tanzanian, Malawian and South African troops.

Uganda and Rwanda have not yet commented on the claims by the Congolese government that M23 fighters fled into their territories.