Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi has vowed “a vigorous and coordinated response” against a rebel alliance that has besieged swaths of the nation’s mineral-rich east and forced hundreds of local troops and foreign mercenaries to surrender.

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo - Clashes between the rebel group March 23 Movement (M23) and the Army of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is causing deaths, food shortages and thousands of displaced people in the city of Goma,

M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo were reported to have taken the key eastern city of Goma in fierce fighting with government forces that sent streams of refugees fleeing area communities.