A rebel alliance claimed the capture of the biggest city in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mineral-rich eastern region this week, pushing back against resistance from government troops backed by regional and UN intervention forces.

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,

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.

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.

Congressionally Chartered. Scholarship Driven. Fiercely Nonpartisan.

Congressionally Chartered. Scholarship Driven. Fiercely Nonpartisan.

ROGER W. FERGUSON, JR., is the Steven A. Tananbaum Distinguished Fellow for International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations.