Protesters have attacked missions in the capital of the African country as anger grows about the advance of the M23 rebel group.

Many blame the United States, France and other allies for allowing neighboring Rwanda to fuel a conflict in the country’s east.

By Yassin Kombi and Sonia Rolley GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) -The United States told Rwanda it was "deeply troubled" by the fall of Goma in eastern Congo to Rwandan-backed M23 rebels,

Fighting with M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo left six United Nations peacekeepers dead, UN officials said Saturday.

Residents of the besieged city of Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, say they are gripped by fear as gunshots continue to ring out around their homes, days after rebel forces claimed they had taken over.

The East African Community (EAC) heads of state have called for an immediate ceasefire in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. This follows the announcement by the rebel group, M23, that they had captured Goma city,

Nearly 300 foreign mercenaries hired by the Democratic Republic of Congo government to counter a swift offensive by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in the east have surrendered and were on their way home on Wednesday.

DR Congo has called on international powers to pressure Rwanda, potentially via sanctions, to end the M23 offensive

A conflict that has raged for decades reached a flashpoint this week when rebels backed by Rwanda marched on a key Congolese city in a bid to occupy territory and exploit minerals.

In 2012, when M23 rebels appeared poised to seize control of a major city in eastern Congo, western countries suspended aid to put pressure on Rwanda to withdraw its support.

President William Ruto faces a delicate task as chairperson of the East African Community (EAC) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) peace talks, with experts warning his decisions could affect former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s bid to chair the African Union Commission (AUC).