Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo were moving south on Wednesday towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, in what appeared to be an attempt to expand their area of control in the country's east after capturing the city of Goma.

Rwanda, which diplomats say backs M23 fighters who seized Goma in Democratic Republic of Congo this week, called on Wednesday for a ceasefire across eastern Congo and for Congo to negotiate with the rebels while denying Rwandan troops were involved.

M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, are advancing towards Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. This move follows their capture of Goma, raising the specter of renewed regional conflict. Diplomatic efforts,

Residents of the besieged city of Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, say they are gripped by fear as gunshots continue to ring out around their homes, days after rebel forces claimed they had taken over.

Violent demonstrations erupted Tuesday in Congo’s capital Kinshasa in front of several embassies, including Belgian embassy - Anadolu Ajansı

Rwanda-backed rebels claimed on Monday they captured eastern Congo’s strategic city of Goma, the hub of a region containing trillions of dollars in mineral wealth that remains largely untapped.

Congolese forces were losing control of the city of Goma on Wednesday after rebel groups backed by Rwanda took over the airport and shared plans to set up a new administration.

Democratic Republic of Congo's M23 rebels are moving south towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, in what appears to be an attempt to expand their area of control in the

Heads of state of eight-member East African Community regional block on Wednesday called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in eastern Congo, they said in a statement. They also called on Congo's government to directly engage in talks with M23 rebels who seized the city of Goma this week,

This long-running and particularly brutal war has now displaced more than 4.6 million people in the eastern provinces of South and North Kivu in what is a major humanitarian crisis. In starving Goma food stocks have been looted.

Speaking to BBC Newshour while being locked down in a UN bunker in the city, the deputy head of the UN force, Vivian van de Perre, said the M23 rebels had "established" themselves in Goma, but were still facing "pockets of resistance".