U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for a urgent cease-fire in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo saying Washington was "deeply troubled" by a recent escalation in the fighting.

Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo - January 31, 2025 Peacekeeping troops from the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) patrol the streets of Goma after the rebel group M23 (March 23 Movement) launched a large-scale offensive in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The only way to stop the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo is through dialogue, Russia said Friday, warning against escalation that could lead to an inter-state conflict. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized the need for immediate peace talks among all parties involved.

Rwanda-backed rebels claimed on Monday they captured eastern Congo’s strategic city of Goma, the hub of a region containing trillions of dollars in mineral wealth that remains largely untapped.

M23 rebels captured the key city of Goma in the eastern DRC Monday, forcing thousands of civilians to flee in the latest in a series of advances - Anadolu Ajansı

The humanitarian situation in the area continues to worsen and South Africa took a shot at Rwanda for its perceived complicity in the death of South African peacekeepers in the area.

South Korea plans to issue a travel ban for an eastern province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to intensifying fighting between government and rebel forces in the country, the foreign ministry said Friday.

Members of the Congolese Red Cross collect bodies of alleged members of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) in Goma, Congo, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025

Burundian troops are reinforcing Congo's forces, mainly in South Kivu, at the request of the Kinshasa government. Rwanda has put the number at 10,000, U.N. sources estimate there are several thousand and a Burundian official, who asked not to be named, said they numbered 8,000 to 10,000.

Rwandan forces and the abusive M23 armed group should urgently ensure access to and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the population of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.