Officials and residents say Rwanda-backed rebels have gained ground in eastern Congo despite the unilateral ceasefire they declared earlier this week, taking control of a town 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the provincial capital of Bukavu.

United Nations agencies called for an end to the violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as fighting between

DR Congo requested the urgent meeting of the UN's top rights body to discuss escalating fighting by Rwanda-backed armed group M23 in North and South Kivu provinces, and drew up a draft resolution that would set up the probe.

Goma, which the rebels captured last week with the support of troops from neighboring Rwanda, has been “liberated and sanitized” and different administrative heads have been appointed, Corneille Nangaa, the M23's political leader, told thousands gathered at the stadium.

Rwandan-backed armed group M23 announced a humanitarian “ceasefire” from Tuesday in DR Congo’s explosive east, days before a planned crisis meeting between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.