Reports suggest that Rebels from the Rwanda-backed M23 group have killed a military governor as they make their way through eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The conflict between the M23 and DR Congo’s army has escalated this year, with the rebels gaining more territory than before.
Governor Peter Cirimwami of North Kivu was fatally injured by M23 fighters while visiting the frontline, as per United Nations documents quoted by news agencies Reuters and AFP.
Over 400,000 people have fled their homes this year as the M23 moves closer to the city of Goma, according to the UN.
As they advanced towards Goma, the M23 took control of Masisi and Minova.
Local leaders reported more than 200 civilians killed in areas captured by the M23, along with two children who died in a camp hit by bombs.
President Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo rushed back from the World Economic Forum in Davos to address the urgent security situation following the attack.
The fall of Goma would be a significant victory for the rebels, who briefly held the city in 2012 during a previous rebellion.
Roads leading to Goma have been blocked, raising concerns about food supplies running low in the city.
Local union leader Bahala Shamavu Innocent described the situation in Goma as dire, with the population suffering.
Thousands of families have fled towards Goma, overwhelming hospitals with injured civilians.
The M23 has gained control of mineral-rich areas in eastern DR Congo, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
Last year, fears of the rebels seizing Goma emerged, with fighting resuming in October and escalating towards the end of the year.
The DR Congo and UN accuse Rwanda of backing the M23, with estimates of 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan troops operating alongside the rebels.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the conflict could lead to a regional war and called for respecting DR Congo’s sovereignty and ending support to armed groups.