The head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has held talks with Rwanda-backed rebels about protecting civilians in areas under their control in the east.

Bintou Keita, the UN secretary general’s special representative, said the rebels spoke of wanting a peaceful solution to the crisis, which escalated in January with their capture of the major city of Goma.

She said she had brought “a spirit of listening and exchange” to the discussions in Goma on Friday.

Little more detail has been released about any progress made at the summit.

But in a short written statement, Ms Kieta said it formed part of ongoing “joint efforts begun several months ago for the benefit of the population”, and that it came at a critical moment.

Photos released from the meeting showed Ms Keita boarding a helicopter towards the eastern warzone for the summit, and also of her team sat across from leaders of the Congo River Alliance – which includes the M23 rebel group.

These were not the UN-led first talks since the takeover of Goma, but they are the highest profile.

Earlier this year the UN peacekeeping force, known as Monusco, was unable to stop the rebel group advancing and seizing large swathes of territory from the Congolese army. M23 rebels attacked some Monusco peacekeepers.

Since the start of this year, the M23 has made major advances in the mineral-rich east, including taking Goma in January.

The conflict has led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians in the last few months, with thousands of people killed.

Airports in the cities of Goma and Kavumu remain closed and livelihoods have been disrupted, with many civil servants and other workers not receiving their pay.

On Friday, almost 250 South African soldiers who were deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo arrived back home as the first part of a phased withdrawal from the eastern warzone.

They had been part of a force sent by the southern African bloc (Sadc) to assist the Congolese army, but 20 of its soldiers were later killed during an M23 advance which prompted the decision to leave.

At a meeting on Saturday, Monusco said its leader Ms Keita met a top Sadc commander in a show of mutual appreciation for the “support and solidarity” they had shown each other “in these recent, difficult months”.