Refugees, surrendering Congolese soldiers and stranded truckers thronged the Rwandan border on Tuesday, hoping to reach safety after rebels captured the nearby Congolese city of Goma and spurred them to flee.
M23 rebels, with support from Rwandan troops, marched into Goma earlier this week and are now advancing south toward Bukavu.
Congolese security forces on Tuesday tried to slow the advance of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels who say they have captured Goma after
Army spokesman Ronald Rwivanga said "five civilians have died and 25 severely wounded and more were lightly injured" on the outskirts of Rwandan border town Gisenyi.
Rwanda's government, led by President Paul Kagame, has been accused by the DRC and various international organizations of supporting M23, including providing military assistance, training, and logistical support.
A lightning advance in Congo's mineral-rich eastern borderlands is set to boost the M23 rebellion's illegal mining revenues, with analysts predicting a further surge in illicit trade in minerals including coltan and gold through neighbouring Rwanda.
Rwanda-backed fighters controlled almost all of the DR Congo city of Goma Wednesday where residents were re-emerging after days of deadly fighting and Angola urged leaders of both countries to
As an East African bloc urged an immediate ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels who seized the city of Goma extended their advance on Wednesday, and Congo said it planned a campaign to recover lost territory.
Rebels backed by Rwanda captured more towns in eastern Congo on Wednesday as they moved beyond the key city of Goma in an apparent attempt to expand their control in the conflict-battered region.
The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group vowed Thursday to "continue the march of liberation" to the DR Congo capital Kinshasa, as its fighters made further advances in the mineral-rich east of
The Rwanda-backed armed group M23 vowed on Thursday to march on the DR Congo capital, Kinshasa, as its fighters made further advances in the mineral-rich east of the country.