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.

A weakened Congolese military fought back against Rwanda-backed rebels who the U.N. said were moving fast into the South Kivu province after seizing the region’s largest

Southern African heads of state re-affirmed their support for Democratic Republic of Congo in its fight against Rwanda-backed rebels who continue to take new territory in the east of the country.

Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) risks spilling over into a regional war, it is feared, as Rwanda-backed rebels claim to have captured the key city of Goma. There is also an international element to the decades-long situation,