Tens of thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are fleeing towns in the east of the country as rebel forces close in on the city of Goma. Explosions and gunshots were heard in city - home to more than a million people - late on Sunday evening, according to local media reports.

The city’s capture came following a 48-hour deadline imposed by the group for the Congolese army to surrender their weapons.

Rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo are closing in on a key city in the mineral-rich region aided by neighboring Rwanda’s army, the head of a peacekeeping mission told United Nations Security Council members during an emergency meeting on Sunday.

Rwanda-backed rebels claimed they captured eastern Congo’s largest city, Goma, early Monday, as the United Nations described a “mass panic” among its 2 million people and Congo’s government said the rebel advance was a “declaration of war.

The Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday called for the United Nations to sanction Rwanda, accusing its neighbour of issuing a "declaration of war" by sending more troops over the

The Democratic Republic of Congo has severed diplomatic relations with Rwanda. This decision is due to the government in Kigali supporting rebels who are attacking Congolese government forces. At least 13 soldiers from international peacekeeping forces have lost their lives in the internal conflict.

The UN chief Antonio Guterres said Rwanda was backing M23 rebels as they advance towards the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo. DW has more.