Rwanda-backed rebels gained ground in eastern Congo on Wednesday despite the unilateral ceasefire they declared earlier this week, taking control of a town 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the provincial capital of Bukavu,

Rebels occupying the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city of Goma have declared a cease-fire but the government dismissed the pause in the fighting as a ruse aimed to head off growing international concern.

Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo are seeking to advance south towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, in an attempt to expand their area of control in the country's east after capturing the city of Goma.

The Rwanda-backed rebels who seized eastern Congo's key city of Goma announced Monday a unilateral ceasefire in the region for humanitarian reasons, following calls for a safe corridor for aid and hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

The alliance of rebel groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have declared a humanitarian ceasefire starting on Tuesday. In a statement, the group - which includes the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels - cited "humanitarian reasons" for the ceasefire,

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) -Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have seized control of a mining town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's South Kivu province, eight sources said on Wednesday,

The rebels said the ceasefire would start Tuesday. The announcement came shortly after the U.N. said 900 people were killed in last week’s fighting in Goma between rebels and Congolese forces.