By Sonia Rolley and Emma Farge (Reuters) -Rwanda-backed M23 insurgents shot dead three boys who had picked up guns left by Congolese soldiers fleeing the rebel advance in eastern Congo, the U.N. said on Tuesday,

Families remained indoors and shops remained closed as M23 fighters entered the outskirts of Bukavu — a city of about 1.3 million people that lies 63 miles (101 kilometers) south of Goma, the region's largest city taken by the rebels last month.

M23 rebels have taken control of the strategic Kavumu airport that serves Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, the rebel group and a civil security source said Friday. The rebels also seized the town of Katana.

Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo threatened on Tuesday to advance on the provincial capital of Bukavu, citing a "dangerously deteriorating" situation, amid renewed skirmishes on the front line.

Trucks and cars full of Congolese soldiers carrying their weapons could be seen circulating in Bukavu, South Kivu province on Friday.

Originally from the east of Democratic Republic of Congo, which is under attack from the M23 rebels and their Rwandan supporters, the president of the national assembly, Vital Kamerhe, promotes dialogue to restore peace.

(Reuters) -Rwandan-backed M23 rebels entered eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's second-largest city Bukavu on Friday, a rebel leader told Reuters, as residents reported seeing the militants in the streets of a northern district.

Residents and business owners in eastern Congo’s second largest city sat in wait on Saturday morning after a night of loud gunfire marking the ongoing advance of

Government forces and local militias have clashed south of the provincial capital of Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as troops fall back in the face of an advance by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels,

Along with the Rwandan minister for regional integration, James Kabarebe, the U.S. also sanctioned a spokesperson of the M23 rebels, Lawrence Kanyuka

Rwanda-backed rebels in eastern Congo have claimed that they have seized a second airport in the region following a days-long advance towards Bukavu city. Meanwhile the U.N. warned that the

In North Kivu, partners report that more than 110,000 people have left displacement sites in Goma and started to move to villages in the Masisi, Rutshuru and Nyiragongo territories.