Ongoing violence delays U.N. peacekeepers' departure from DRC scheduled for December

United Nations peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who were meant to leave in December, are staying put for the moment as a result of ongoing violence, as M23 rebels press ahead with their offensive.

The country's government says it is putting in place a new time frame for their departure.

Associated Press reporters travelled to a U.N. base not far from the frontlines, where peacekeepers say they are protecting hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

Sam Mednick of the Associated Press, said, 'The UN missions has been there for more than 20 years tasked with protecting the population, but many Congolese feel like nothing’s changed since they’ve arrived, and that no one is properly defending them.'

Mednick added that it is unclear who will take the place of the peacekeepers once they leave.

More than 120 armed groups are battling for land and mineral resources in the country's east.

The violence has forced around 7 million people from their homes.