M23 Advances, UN Warns Rwanda

M23 fighters advanced on several fronts in DR Congo's unpredictable 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 M23 movement, supported by some 4,000 Rwandan soldiers, according to UN experts, now controls large swaths of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a troubled region rich in natural resources.

Its rapid advance has sent thousands fleeing. Fighters took control of the South Kivu provincial capital Bukavu last Sunday, weeks after capturing Goma, the capital of North Kivu and main city in the country's east.

Recent gains have given M23 control of Lake Kivu following its lightning offensive in the east. According to the UN, the latest fighting has led to an exodus of more than 50,000 Congolese to Burundi, Uganda and other countries.

The European Union on Friday summoned Rwanda's ambassador to demand Kigali pull out troops from the country and stop backing the armed group.

In a call with Kenyan President William Ruto, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for an immediate ceasefire, saying there was "no military solution to the conflict", according to a State Department spokesperson.

The M23 is now moving toward the town of Uvira near the Burundi border on the northwestern tip of Lake Tanganyika -- the main exit route for fleeing Congolese soldiers.