Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office (OCHA), told a briefing in Geneva colleagues had reported “heavy small arms fire and mortar fire across the city and the presence of many dead bodies in the streets”.

The apparent takeover of Goma, a city of about 2 million, has prompted fears of further violence and mass displacement

President William Ruto, in his role as chair of the East African Community (EAC), has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) amid the worsening conflict.

Kenya has announced a virtual crisis summit, but Congolese state media says President Felix Tshisekedi will not attend.

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.

Gunfire broke out on Sunday night in the centre of the besieged Congolese city Goma after the Democratic Republic of Congo accused neighbouring Rwanda of sending more troops across the

Jambojet, Kenya's budget airline, has suspended flights between Nairobi and Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), due to escalating conflict and the closure of Goma's airspace.

Amid tragic escalation of violence in Congo, Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele of Goma has assured the people of the church's closeness and compassion, as rebels entered the eastern city of Goma, forcing thousands to flee and triggering wave of looting and deaths.

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

After a lightning offensive, M23 rebels now control Goma, a large city in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The rebels, which Rwanda denies supporting, have long been funded at least in part by the illicit mineral trade.

The Summit is a follow-up of the Extraordinary Summit of the SADC Organ Troika plus the DRC and Troop Contributing Countries to the SADC Mission in the DRC, which was held on Tuesday, chaired by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics Defence and Security Cooperation.