The rebels have been advancing through eastern DR Congo since January, seizing Bukavu and Goma, the biggest city in the region. The fighting has forced about 500,000 people from their homes, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis, according to the UN.

A deadly explosion at a rally in Bukavu, eastern DRC, led to the deaths of 12 people. The blast, blamed on both the Congolese government and M23 rebels, occurred during heightened tensions due to control struggles.