United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday spoke separately with the presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda about the escalating conflict in eastern Congo, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

A conflict that has raged for decades reached a flashpoint this week when rebels backed by Rwanda marched on a key Congolese city in a bid to occupy territory and exploit minerals.

Dead bodies lie on the streets of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, as heavy fighting continues between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, and the DRC forces supported by international peacekeeping troops.

Rwanda-backed rebels claimed they captured eastern Congo’s largest city, Goma, early Monday, as the United Nations described a mass panic among its 2 million people and Congo’s government said the rebel advance was a “declaration of war.

The UN chief Antonio Guterres said Rwanda was backing M23 rebels as they advance towards the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The UN secretary general urged Kigali to cease support of M23 rebels and withdraw M23 rebels are closing in on the mineral-rich city of Goma in eastern DRC Thousands have fled the city in the face of the M23

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels claim to have taken over the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after a battle with government forces and allies on Sunday. Gunshots were heard in the city on Sunday as thousands of residents fled to the city center to escape the chaos.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres urged Rwanda to withdraw its forces from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where fierce fighting raged as Kigali-backed fighters closed in on the major city of Goma.

The United States on Tuesday called on the United Nations Security Council to consider measures to stop an offensive by Rwandan troops and M23 rebel forces in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as a conflict there escalates.

Rwandan-backed rebels moved to tighten their grip on the strategic city of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday in what Kinshasa described as “a declaration of war” by its neighbour.

M23 rebels said they have advanced into Goma, a large city in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Hundreds of thousands of residents have been displaced.

Fighters from the Kigali-backed M23 Movement have been locked in fighting with the Congolese army at the gates of the city.Accusing Rwanda of issuing a "declaration of war" by sending more troops over the border,