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,

Many Congolese see the rebel advance as an invasion of their country by a foreign power in an attempt to seize land and Congo’s valuable rare minerals.

Congolese troops pushed back an attempted overnight advance by Rwanda-backed rebels on the eastern city of Goma, two Congolese army sources said on Saturday, after the sound of nearby heavy bombardment rocked the city in the early hours.

Panic spread in Goma on Thursday, with M23 rebels steadily inching closer to the city in eastern Congo as they battle the Congolese army. Bombs were heard going off in the distant outskirts and hundreds of wounded civilians were brought in to the main hospital from nearby towns and villages.

M23 has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, encircling Goma, which has around two million people and is a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts. View on euronews