Cork filmmaker Dearbhla Glynn tells Richard Fitzpatrick why she spoke to perpetrators of horrific crimes in a place known as the rape capital of the world

Police Scotland declared a major incident and confirmed there were a “number of fatalities”.

Soldiers and rebel forces suffered heavy casualties as they fought for a fifth day near the city of Goma, a doctor near the frontline said.

Midleton man Mark O’Riordan tells Caroline Delaney about his life at a Congo chimp sanctuary.

Officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo said today that a plane crash in the eastern city of Goma killed seven people and injured three.

Rebels started to retreat from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern provincial capital today after an attempt to garner ammunition at the airport failed and their original pullout was postponed, a UN official said.

The defence minister of Uganda says he is mediating talks between Congolese officials and representatives of M23, the rebel group that last week took control of the eastern Congolese city of Goma and threatens to topple the government of President Joseph Kabila.

Rebel fighters in the Democratic Republic of Congo, believed to be backed by neighbouring Rwanda, have entered the city of Goma and seized the international airport, a spokesman for the group said today.

A rebel group believed to be backed by Rwanda advanced to within two miles of Goma, a crucial provincial capital in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, marking the first time that rebels have come this close since 2008.

UN attack helicopters targeted M23 rebels in eastern Congo after fighting resumed following a months long lull in violence, a local official said.

AN AIRLINER ploughed into dense forest as it tried to land during a rainstorm in the Democratic Republic of Congo yesterday, killing 127 people on board, the Congolese transport ministry said.

A plane carrying 112 people has crashed while trying to land at Kisangani international airport in Democratic Republic of Congo.

The top UN envoy in Congo said two peacekeeping patrols were not informed by villagers that mass rapes were taking place and the United Nations is now working to improve communications and prevent any recurrence.

Surrounded by insurgent fighters, the leader of Congo’s rebels held his first public rally today in newly conquered territory, telling the few thousand people who showed up “not to be afraid”.

Thousands of new UN peacekeeping troops should arrive in Congo within weeks, it was announced today.

Hollywood star Ben Affleck is trying to highlight the plight of those caught in the Congo fighting by touring refugee camps and meeting aid workers.

Rebel forces said they were pulling back from a fleeing Congo army today to allow peace talks.

A retreat by Congo government troops in the face of continued rebel attacks was in danger of turning into a rout today.

Congo’s army clashed with rebels in some of the worst fighting in a week despite the rebel leader’s promise to support a ceasefire, the United Nations said today.

REBEL leader Laurent Nkunda yesterday called for ceasefire talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo government after meeting a UN peace envoy even as new clashes broke out between his fighters and the army.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s main rebel leader today promised his support of a ceasefire and UN efforts to end the fighting.

FOOD supplies were delivered across rebel-held areas of eastern Congo yesterday for the first time in weeks.

Food supplies were delivered across rebel-held areas of eastern Congo today for the first time in weeks.

EVEN before the recent fighting, tensions were high in villages as displaced people fleeing sporadic armed clashes jostled with locals for a roof over their heads.

Valentine and her children survive on tiny margins from her business.

CUDDLING her infant close to her chest in the hospital, young Amani Patience rocks back and forth quietly cooing to her newborn child.

‘I was kidnapped three times. Last month I received many calls on the phone, [threatening] that they would attack me, kill me’

Tensions escalated in war-battered eastern Congo today after Angola announced it was sending troops to aid government forces.

The United Nations’ most powerful body is close to approving 3,000 more peacekeeping troops for war-torn areas of eastern Congo, diplomats said today.

THE leader of the Congo’s eastern province has denied army forces are using child soldiers, instead claiming rebels are arming youngsters.

STORIES of grotesque acts of brutality or an innocence turned evil can sometimes leave you temporarily stumped as a journalist in the quest for answers.

TUCKED away in the dusty side streets of Goma the house of “mama”, as she is known, is modest with holy relics on the wall and clean covers over worn-down seats.

THE Congolese army is riddled with corruption, falling apart because of indiscipline with underpaid soldiers looting homes and marauding through villages.

IN THE rocky backstreets of Goma lies a small compound where some of the most dangerous but wretched children in the Congo play and sleep.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an immediate ceasefire today to urgently help “at least 100,000 refugees” cut off by fighting in rebel-held areas in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A cholera outbreak in a sprawling refugee camp spread to eastern Congo’s provincial capital of Goma, increasing fears of an epidemic amid a tense stand-off between government troops and rebels.

A cholera outbreak has spread to the eastern Congo capital of Goma, increasing fears of an epidemic.

Doctors are treating dozens of cholera cases at a refugee camp just outside Congo’s eastern provincial capital of Goma.

Fears that fighting in eastern Congo will spread were raised today after it was revealed that Angolan troops joined government forces attacking rebels near the city of Goma.

A ceasefire called by Congo rebels appeared to be unravelling today.

Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo fought pro-government militiamen for a second day in the town of Kiwanja today, forcing thousands to flee.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s government today refused rebel leader Laurent Nkunda’s demand for direct talks to solve the crisis in eastern Kivu province, where tens of thousands of desperate refugees were receiving international aid.

BRITISH Foreign Secretary David Miliband said yesterday he has not ruled out sending troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of a United Nations bid to avert a looming humanitarian disaster.

UN aid convoy delivered vital medical supplies to Congo refugees today for the first time since fighting began weeks ago.