Fighting has escalated sharply in recent weeks in eastern Congo, where rebels have seized key towns and are closing in on the city of Goma, the government’s last stronghold in the North Kivu province,

Thirteen soldiers serving with peacekeeping forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been killed in clashes with rebels from the M23 group. The South African military said nine of its soldiers died helping to push back a rebel advance on the city of Goma,

Nine South African peacekeepers have been killed in clashes with M23 forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including two from UN peacekeeping force MONUSCO, the defence ministry said Saturday.