Rwandan-backed rebels have taken over much of the city of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, although some gunfire can still be heard.
There are reports of Congolese and Rwandan troops firing at each other across the border. Columns of M23 rebels have entered the city.
Some Congolese troops have followed a rebel order to hand over their weapons to UN peacekeepers. In less than a month the rebel advance has displaced more than 400, 000 civilians.
On Sunday at a UN Security Council meeting, the Congolese government said Rwanda had declared war by sending its troops over the border.
The UN chief, António Guterres, called on Rwandan troops to leave Congolese territory.
The mineral-rich east of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been dogged by fighting for decades.
Secessionist movements, as well as ethnic-based rebel groups, have competed with the central authorities for power and control of the potential fortune in this vast nation.
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Major mining towns in the east supply metals and minerals that are in high demand, such as gold, tin and coltan, which is a key ingredient in the manufacture of mobile phones.
DR Congo’s instability has sucked in neighbouring countries to devastating effect. In the 1990s, two huge conflicts, dubbed Africa’s World Wars, resulted in the deaths of millions of people.
There have been reports of a mass escape from a prison in Goma, with some videos being shared online appearing to show prisoners fleeing.
A security source told the AFP news agency that the prison holding 3, 000 inmates was “totally torched” and that the jailbreak had resulted in deaths.
One of the videos shared online appears to show people running from a building on fire. There are shouts from people and gunshots can be heard. There have been reports of deaths from the incident.
Many parts of Goma have been cut off from power and many areas of the city amid the entry of the rebels.
Thousands of people are fleeing Goma as fighting escalates in the city.
Several sites on the outskirts of the city, sheltering more than 300,000 displaced people, were completely emptied out in the space of a few hours, according to the UN.
Key roads surrounding Goma are blocked, cutting off vital access points, while the city’s airport is paralysed, halting all evacuation and humanitarian efforts, the UN says.
