Fears are growing that fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could spiral into a wider regional war.
Numerous aid agencies have warned that fighting between rebels and DRC government forces is growing more intense and an escalation is likely.
Fighting around a major city in the region, Goma, is intensifying. The rebel M23 group, which many analysts believe is backed by Rwanda, has fought its way to within 25km of the city.
The Norwegian Refugee Council called the intensity of the fighting ‘completely unprecedented’.
Currently the rebels control almost all supply routes into the city, which has seen its population of 1.5m grow rapidly because of the influx of refugees. The United Nations says that in February alone 250 000 fled to the city.
South African troops are also in the region as peacekeepers, but there have been concerns that they are underfunded and ill-equipped for the mission.
Image by Muhammad Zaleeb Khan from Pixabay