Rwanda-backed rebels captured a second major strategic city in the Democratic Republic of Congo, expanding their dominance over the country’s mineral-rich east amid the widening conflict.

M23 fighters and Rwandan troops on Wednesday pushed further into the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as Burundi warned Kigali it would respond if attacked.The armed group, which has gained ground against the Congolese army since it re-emerged in 2021,

Residents and business owners in eastern Congo’s second largest city are sitting in wait after a night of loud gunfire marking the ongoing advance of Rwanda-backed rebels