Panic spread in Goma, the capital of DR Congo's North Kivu Province, on Thursday, January 23, with M23 rebels reportedly planning to march on the key city after recently gaining more ground against the Congolese army.

Many Congolese see the rebel advance as an invasion of their country by a foreign power in an attempt to seize land and Congo’s valuable rare minerals.

In eastern Congo, panic grips Goma as M23 rebels advance, capturing nearby towns. Goma, a key regional hub, faces heightened conflict, displacing over 7 million. Accusations against Rwanda for backing M23 persist as international bodies urge restraint.

GOMA, Congo (AP) — Panic spread in eastern Congo's main city on Thursday, with M23 rebels steadily inching closer to Goma and seizing a nearby town as they battle the Congolese army. Bombs were heard going off in the city's distant outskirts and hundreds of wounded civilians were brought in to the main hospital from the area of the fighting.