The evacuees were transported by National Air Force aircraft and landed in Luanda in the

The scene is the result of the invasion of Goma on January 27th by M23, an armed group under the control of Rwanda, Congo’s neighbour, which abuts the city. Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s president, has escalated a crisis whose origins go back decades.

Civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are at increasing risk as the abusive M23 armed group, supported by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), approaches Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.

The United Nations, African Union and East African Community condemned the capture of the

Gunshots rang out on Tuesday through parts of the besieged DR Congo city of Goma, where Congolese soldiers have clashed with militia fighters backed by Rwandan troops, while furious protesters

In the capital, Kinshasa, protesters complaining of a lack of international action attacked foreign embassies, including those of the U.S., France and Rwanda.

Angolan President Joao Lourenco has urged warring parties in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to return to peace talks, which collapsed last year, the foreign ministry said.

The M23 rebel group has made significant territorial gains along the border with Rwanda in recent weeks, closing in on Goma, the provincial capital.

Laden with just the possessions they can carry, thousands of displaced people have reached the outskirts of the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, fleeing a rapid M23 rebel advance that has taken more territory than ever before.

The president of crisis-hit Democratic Republic of Congo was set to meet his Rwandan counterpart at an emergency summit on Wednesday, as fighters backed by Kigali appeared on the brink of seizing the key city of Goma.

An armed group backed by Rwandan troops took control of the airport in the besieged DR Congo city of Goma on Tuesday, a security source said, dealing a major blow

"The capture of Minova isolates Goma a little more and opens the way ... But he said efforts by Angola to mediate a lasting ceasefire and de-escalate tensions between Congo and Rwanda were at ...