The last two towns before Goma, a provincial capital in Congo’s east, have just fallen to M23 rebels. They last captured the city in 2012.

M23 rebels are steadily encircling Goma, the DRC's strategic eastern city, as the national army struggles to defend its territory. With alleged support from Rwanda and facing a weakened Congolese military,

Laden with just the possessions they can carry, thousands of displaced people have reached the outskirts of the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, fleeing a rapid M23 rebel advance that has taken more territory than ever before.

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.

Congolese helicopter gunships swooped low over the plains to fire volleys of rockets and troops trucked towards the front line to halt Rwanda-backed fighters advancing on DR Congo's eastern provincial capital after capturing a string of towns.

Tutsi-led M23 rebel group claims to defend Tutsi interests against ethnic Hutu militias whose leaders are linked to genocide of Tutsi in Rwanda - Anadolu Ajansı

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have taken over the key eastern trading town of Minova, according to various sources. The fall of the city puts the rebels within 40km (25 miles) of provincial capital, Goma, which lies close to the border with Rwanda.

The M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have taken over the town of Minova, threatening Goma. The conflict has displaced 484,000 people, with Congo and the UN accusing Rwanda of supporting the rebels.

GOMA, Congo — Several towns that fell to armed ... territory in the vast and mineral-rich region near the border with Rwanda. The conflict has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian ...

The Congolese army says several towns that fell to armed groups in the eastern North Kivu and South Kivu provinces have been recaptured by government forces GOMA, Congo -- Several towns that fell ...

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo - Democratic ... Congo and the United Nations accuse neighbouring Rwanda of backing the group with its own troops and weapons. Rwanda denies this.

The M23 rebels have been trying to make inroads in mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, along the border with Rwanda, in a decades-long conflict that has sparked one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.