East African Community holds special virtual summit, skipped by DR Congo’s president, to discuss Goma crisis - Anadolu Ajansı

Advances being made by the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo are "heightening the threat of a regional war," according to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The weeks-long march of the M23 armed group, which has captured vast swathes of eastern DRC including most of the key city of Goma, has prompted calls for crisis talks and warnings of a looming humanitarian crisis.

Dead bodies lie on the streets of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, as heavy fighting continues between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, and the DRC forces supported by international peacekeeping troops.

Angola’s President Joao Lourenco demanded the immediate withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory on Wednesday amid fighting with the M23 rebels in Goma. Lourenco, who is the African Union (AU) mediator between Congo and Rwanda, also urged the resumption of peace talks with the M23 and all other groups operating on Congolese territory.

Angolan President Joao Lourenco has urged warring parties in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to return to peace talks, which collapsed last year, the foreign ministry said.

Angola's president called Wednesday for the "immediate withdrawal" of Rwandan troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo

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.

Rwanda-backed fighters were in control of almost all of the DR Congo city of Goma Wednesday where residents were re-emerging after days of deadly fighting and Angola urged leaders of

The conflict comes amid rising global tensions after Donald Trump’s election, especially between Washington and Beijing, over control of strategic minerals like those present in the Congo.

Angola's president called Wednesday for the "immediate withdrawal" of Rwandan troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo and for leaders of both countries to meet in Luanda urgently over the conflict.