Civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are at increasing risk as the abusive M23 armed group, supported by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), approaches Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.

Intensifying hostilities in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo involving the non-state armed group M23 have caused further mass displacement in the mineral-rich region, with fears that the regional capital Goma could come under attack,

With M23 rebels attacking the town of Sake and threatening Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, United Nations peacekeepers have stepped in to defend the city of two million people. The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in a statement on 24 January said it continues to

Panic spread in Goma, the capital of DR Congo's North Kivu Province, on Thursday, January 23, with M23 rebels reportedly planning to march on the key city after recently gaining more ground against the Congolese army.

NZULO, Congo -- The M23 rebel group's advance toward eastern Congo's largest city has displaced over 178,000 people in the past two weeks, the United Nations said, as the fighters closed in on Goma on the border with Rwanda.

The army acknowledged Tuesday a "breakthrough" by the M23 in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where the armed group fighting government forces has seized a trading hub that supplies the city of Goma.

The Congolese army acknowledged on 21 January the advance of M23 rebels in South Kivu province. Backed by Rwanda’s army, the rebels have captured a key town and are trying to isolate Goma as the Angola-led mediation efforts stall.

Rebels in Congo have surrounded the eastern city of Goma, in one of the sharpest escalations in years of a conflict that has pitted the Central African country against its neighbor Rwanda.

Recent clashes between government forces and M23 have forced thousands of residents to flee provincial capital Goma - Anadolu Ajansı

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Intensified fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has triggered significant new displacement of civilians and injured nine peacekeepers, a UN spokesman said on Friday.

Explosions rocked the ground in the main city in DR Congo's east on Friday as intensifying clashes between the country's army and M23 fighters gripped the region.