M23 fighters advanced on several fronts in DR Congo's volatile east Friday as the UN Security Council for the first time called on Rwanda to stop backing the armed group and halt the bloodshed. The European Union on Friday summoned Rwanda's ambassador to demand Kigali pull out troops from the country and stop backing the armed group.

M23 rebels captured Bukavu, the capital of the eastern DRC’s South Kivu province, on 16 February with little resistance from government forces. Bukavu is a commercial hub of about 1.3 million people, the fall of which is another significant blow to Kinshasa’s authority at home and in the region.

Rwanda-backed rebels advance on eastern DRC city The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels continue their advance in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, capturing large areas in recent weeks. Calm is returning to Bukavu after the rebels took control of the city on Sunday,

Gun-toting M23 fighters on Thursday watched on as requisitioned locals cleaned up streets in the eastern DR Congo city of Bukavu seized by the Rwanda-backed group. Local community group leader Bagalwa Rubakuza said that drives like the clean-ups have always been organised "without success".