M23 fighters advanced on several fronts in DR Congo's volatile 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 European Union on Friday summoned Rwanda's ambassador to demand Kigali pull out troops from the country and stop backing the armed group.

As Rwandan-backed M23 fighters continue to make significant advances in eastern DRC, having captured the cities of Goma and Bukavu, the conflict is now triggering warnings from the UN Security

Recent weeks have seen the rapid progression of the Rwanda-backed M23, which has seized vast tracts of the eastern DRC, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu on Lake Kivu.

Traffic on Lake Kivu between Bukavu and Goma, two provincial capitals in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), resumed Tuesday after weeks of suspension due to clashes in Goma. The fighting, which erupted in late January, saw the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels attempt to seize control of Goma on January 26, 2025.

M23 fighters on Friday advanced further on several fronts in DR Congo's volatile east as international pressure mounted on Rwanda to stop backing the armed group and halt the fighting.

In a unanimous resolution, the Security Council condemned the M23 advances with the support of the Rwanda Defense Forces. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also called for a ceasefire in the region.