In 2012, when M23 rebels appeared poised to seize control of a major city in eastern Congo, western countries suspended aid to put pressure on Rwanda to withdraw its support.

The rebels, which Rwanda denies supporting, have long been funded at least in part by the illicit mineral trade.

Local sources said Kigali-backed fighters were advancing on a new front and had seized two districts in South Kivu province, after the rebel group’s capture of most of Goma, the capital of North Kivu.

The conflict comes amid rising global tensions after Donald Trump’s election, especially between Washington and Beijing, over control of strategic minerals like those present in the Congo.

President Paul Kagame said Rwanda was ready for "confrontation" as he rejected criticism over his backing for M23 rebels who were pushing south on Thursday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after capturing the major city of Goma.

Kagame's comments clearly suggested that he wants South Africa to back off from DR Congo, where its military involvement dates back to the late 1990s. It first joined the UN's peacekeeping mission, Monusco, following the end of the racist system of apartheid in 1994.

Meanwhile, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said his country will “deal” with any confrontation from South Africa after 13 of its peacekeepers in eastern Congo were killed.

The leaders of DR Congo and Rwanda are meeting at an emergency East African summit in Kenya on Wednesday as M23 rebels, backed by Rwandan troops, tighten their grip on the strategic eastern city of Goma.

The Rwanda-backed armed group M23 vowed on Thursday to march on the DR Congo capital, Kinshasa, as its fighters made further advances in the mineral-r

Already the Ruto-led talks started on a wrong footing on Wednesday, January 29 after Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi snubbed a meeting to discuss the security crisis in his Eastern DRC but confirmed attendance of a separate meeting convened by southern African countries.

Rwandan-backed rebels declare they are now in control of the key eastern Congolese city of Goma, as their troops continue to claim more territory in the mineral rich region.