South Africa has sent additional troops and military equipment to Democratic Republic of Congo in recent days, political and diplomatic sources said, after 14 of its soldiers were killed in fighting with Rwanda-backed rebels last month.

Leaders of Eastern and Southern African regional blocs met for an unprecedented joint summit on Saturday to find a solution to a conflict in eastern Congo, where Rwandan-backed rebels’ rapid advance since January has fanned fears of a wider war.

The heads of state from the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community issued a communique calling for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The eight African leaders agreed to merge separate peace talks being led by Angola and Kenya and asked the heads of defense forces from both regional blocs to meet.

Leaders from eastern and southern Africa on Saturday called for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Congo, where rebels are threatening to overthrow the Congolese government, but also urged Congo's president to directly negotiate with them.