DR Congo: A militia woman’s story of survival

For several months, the M23 rebel group has been pursuing an offensive in eastern DR Congo. The rebels are drawing ever closer to the provincial capital Goma, a city they conquered and briefly held during their last offensive 10 years ago. Our reporters spoke to residents of Goma who are still haunted by the fighting of 2012 and fear the rebels' return. Meanwhile, diplomatic pressure is growing on Rwanda, with DR Congo, France and Germany openly accusing Kigali of supporting the group – something it denies.

MONUSCO and the Congolese army want to counter the movements of the M23 rebels in the North-Kivu region as swiftly as possible, while Rwanda continues to deny its support of the group.

Prices of basic food commodities have doubled in the eastern Democratic of Congo. The spike is being attributed to the ongoing hostilities between government forces and M23 rebels. Among the affected areas is Bukavu, which lies in the extreme south-western edge of Lake Kivu.

Since opening in 2013, the Brasimba beer factory in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo, has weathered two deadly Ebola outbreaks and numerous waves of fighting linked to the many rebel militias active in the dense forests around the town that regularly sever its supply routes.

Before dawn, crews from Kinshasa's sanitary police brigade armed with crowbars and aided by a bulldozer, set on demolishing makeshift stalls that crowd a busy intersection and a main artery of the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital.

There is wary hope for peace in troubled eastern parts of Democratic Republic of Congo. The decades long crisis has several underlying causes but what has dominated the headlines is M23 rebels maneuvers in the region. And truly they are at the center of the conflict.

The atmosphere at the Pentecostal church in the city of Kasindi in eastern Congo was upbeat on Sunday as hundreds gathered for a series of baptisms. The congregation swelled beyond capacity, forcing organisers to move the service outside.

Congo police thwarts protest denouncing slow M23 pullback

The UN said they were investigating whether the mass graves were linked to recent attacks blamed on a local militia group. The graves were found in the restive Ituri province, where violence has flared since December.

Father Victor Ntambwe is not content with just reciting psalms during mass on Sunday mornings in Congo's capital. With presidential elections just months away, he has more earthly concerns.

Amid already high tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa, Rwandan forces fired at a fighter jet from Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday which they accused of violating Rwanda's airspace.

The Rwandan government says it had to take "defensive measures" after a Congolese combat plane violated its airspace. The Democratic Republic of Congo says the incident amounts to an "act of war."