Thirteen soldiers working as security guards in the army of the Democratic Republic of Congo have been killed in clashes with rebels from the M23 group.
The South African military said nine of its soldiers died helping to push back an early rebellion in the city of Goma, Eastern Congo, while Uruguayans were also killed.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken with the leaders of Congo and Rwanda amid international calls for an end to the violence.
The United Nations is pulling all non-essential personnel out of Goma – a city of more than one million people – as the war escalates.
A UN security council meeting on the deadly conflict, originally scheduled for Monday, was moved to Sunday because of the escalating conflict.
The M23 group has called on Congolese soldiers in Goma to surrender to avoid bloodshed. While Dr. Congo has divided relations with neighboring Rwanda, accusing the country of being behind the rebellion.
Mobility comes after the M23 Fighters he killed the military governor of the Congo Who visited the frontline on Thursday. Earlier in January, they captured the eastern villages of Minvas and Masisi.
Macron called for an end to a series of phone calls with the leaders of Congo and Rwanda on Saturday, his office said.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on M23 to stop in advance and condemned Rwanda’s support for the group, AFP News Agency reported.
More condemnation came from the President of Angooo Lourenco, the mediator of the African Union between Rwanda and Dr. Congo, who condemned the “absurd actions by the M23 and its supporters” and asked them to “stop immediately” The news agency.
Fighting between the M23 army and DR Congo has been ongoing since the beginning of the year, with the rebels taking control of more territory than ever before.
The conflict has already led more than 400,000 people to flee their homes this year, according to the UN.
Local leaders last week said that more than 200 civilians had been killed in areas captured by M23, and hospitals in Goma were treating hundreds of patients.
Martin Gordon, the Anglican bishop in Goma, told the BBC the war in the country had gone too far “and people” will make peace “.
In the past few days, several countries have urged their citizens to leave Goma, including the UK, France, Germany and the US.
Human Rights Watch has warned of increasing risks to civilians as the Congolese army battles M23 rebels. The humanitarian group accuses both sides of torturing civilians.
The UN has warned that the ongoing conflict is increasing the nation’s difficulties in the region.
M23 has managed the largest Minireral-Rice Eastern Congo swearing in from 2021. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced as a result.
Dr. Congo and the UN say that M23 is supported by Rwanda. Rwandan authorities have neither confirmed nor denied this.
Rwanda has previously said authorities in Chr Conge were working with some of those responsible for the 1994 genocide to fight partisan and moderate Hutus.
M23 was founded as an offshoot of another rebel group in 2012, ostensibly to protect the Tutsi population in eastern DR Congo, which for a long time was silent on persecution and discrimination.
However, Rwandan critics suspect of using M23 minerals to import Eastern Dr Conge minerals such as Gold, Cobalt and Tantalum.
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