M23 fighters advanced on several fronts in DR Congo's volatile east Friday as the UN Security Council for the first time called on Rwanda to stop backing the armed group and halt the bloodshed. The European Union on Friday summoned Rwanda's ambassador to demand Kigali pull out troops from the country and stop backing the armed group.

As Rwandan-backed M23 fighters continue to make significant advances in eastern DRC, having captured the cities of Goma and Bukavu, the conflict is now triggering warnings from the UN Security

M23 rebels captured Bukavu, the capital of the eastern DRC’s South Kivu province, on 16 February with little resistance from government forces. Bukavu is a commercial hub of about 1.3 million people, the fall of which is another significant blow to Kinshasa’s authority at home and in the region.