In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's Maiko National Park, a few committed rangers have succeeded in protecting gorillas, elephants and other animals from the surrounding fighting. RFI spoke to the park's assistant director, Alain Mukiranya, about guarding wildlife in the middle of a war zone. The Democratic Republic of Congo's mineral-rich east has been ravaged by three decades of conflict. Since taking up arms again in 2021, the M23 rebel group, backed by Rwanda, has seized swathes of territory, leading to a spiralling humanitarian crisis. Although Congolese and Rwandan leaders signed a peace deal in Washington on 4 December, fighting has continued. DRC authorities have accused Rwanda of killing more than 1,500 civilians in the Congolese east since early December in their latest offensive. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn Boys recount 'torment' at hands of armed rebels in DR Congo According to the United Nations, more than 80,000 people have fled across the border to Burundi, while at least half a million have been internally displaced within South Kivu province alone. But there are those who refuse to leave their posts. They include some of the rangers in national parks like Maiko, on the border of North Kivu and Maniema provinces. This vast natural haven, stuck in the middle of the conflict, is home to an extraordinary range of animals that park rangers are keen to save at any cost.