Rebels say they have taken control of the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, although this has been denied by the government. Residents shared videos of M23 rebels patrolling Goma's main streets following a lightning advance against the Congolese army on Sunday that saw tens of thousands of people fleeing neighbouring towns.

Gunfire rang out across parts of Goma, the largest city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), hours after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels said they had seized it despite the United Nations Security Council calling for an end to the offensive.

Gunfire rang out early on Monday across parts of Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, hours after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels said they had taken control of the city despite the United Nations

Tens of thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are fleeing towns in the east of the country as rebel forces close in on the city of Goma. Explosions and gunshots were heard in city - home to more than a million people - late on Sunday evening,

Rwanda-backed rebels have captured eastern Congo’s largest city, Goma, as the United Nations reported “mass panic” with the government dubbing the insurgency a “declaration of war.” The city’s capture came following a 48-hour deadline imposed by the M23 rebel group for the Congolese army to surrender their weapons.

Explosions rocked the ground in the main city in DR Congo's east on Friday as intensifying clashes between the country's army and M23 fighters gripped the region.

The calls come after 13 soldiers serving with peacekeeping forces in the DR Congo were killed in clashes with M23 rebels, UN and army officials have said. South Africa said nine of its soldiers were killed while deterring an advance on Goma.