Rwanda has been urged to withdraw its advancing troops from the outskirts of Goma, a mineral-rich city in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have made rapid advances through the lucrative but conflict-ravaged eastern borderlands, killing at least 13 peacekeepers, forcing thousands of civilians to flee and grounding flights.

Britain, the EU, and the United Nations have piled pressure on the African nation over its backing of the M23 rebels, which Kigali has denied.

Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, condemned Rwanda’s military presence in DRC as a “clear violation of international law”, and demanded the nation withdraw its troops from Congolese territory, while Britain called for an end to attacks on peacekeepers.

“This is a frontal assault, a declaration of war that no longer hides behind diplomatic artifice,” Congolese foreign minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner told an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Sunday, demanding that Rwandan politicians and armed forces face sanctions including asset freezes and travel bans.