Hundreds killed in fighting in DR Congo, despite US-mediated peace deal

M23 rebels escort government soldiers and police who surrendered to an undisclosed location in Goma (Moses Sawasawa/AP)

More than 400 civilians have been killed as the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group continues its offensive in Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, regional officials have said, adding that Rwandan special forces were in the strategic city of Uvira.

M23’s latest offensive comes despite a US-mediated peace agreement signed last week by the presidents of Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda in Washington.