There has been fierce fighting as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels advance towards the second-largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, marking a further escalation in the region's conflict. M23 fighters have been moving south, towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, after capturing the largest city in the region, Goma. The Congolese army has set up a defensive line on the road between the two cities, according to the AFP news agency.
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo are seeking to advance south towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, in an attempt to expand their area of control in the country's east after capturing the city of Goma. The latest fighting is part of a major escalation of a decades-old conflict over power, identity, and resources that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced more than 1 million since its recent resurgence.
By capturing Goma, a city of two million people, the militia has dramatically increased its control of key border crossings and mineral smuggling routes into Rwanda, which has recently reported a massive increase in its coltan exports.
