By Yassin Kombi and Sonia Rolley GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - Rwandan President Paul Kagame blasted criticism of his country's role in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where rebels his government backs have seized its largest city,

The scene is the result of the invasion of Goma on January 27th by M23, an armed group under the control of Rwanda, Congo’s neighbour, which abuts the city. Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s president, has escalated a crisis whose origins go back decades.

President Félix Tshisekedi has sent a strong message to Rwandan President Paul Kagame after skipping President William Ruto’s East African Community (EAC) virtual crisis meeting. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi addressed Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame,

By Yassin Kombi and Sonia Rolley GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - Rwanda's President Paul Kagame said he agreed with the U.S. government on the need for a ceasefire in eastern Congo but gave no indication of bowing to calls for Rwandan troops and the M23 rebels they support to withdraw from Goma.

Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi warned of "unpredictable consequences" for the region as Rwandan-backed M23 rebels seized the city of Goma. Rwanda denies backing M23 or having troops in Congo and President Paul Kagame blamed the conflict on Tshisekedi's inability to control his territory and protect his citizens.

The bloody war between South African and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the past week has become a war of words between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame accused his South African counterpart of “lies” and “distortion” over comments about the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, ratcheting up tensions between the two leaders amid regional efforts to secure a ceasefire.

Tensions have escalated between Rwandan President Paul Kagame and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, with Kagame accusing Ramaphosa of spreading lies.

By Yassin Kombi and Sonia Rolley GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) -President Paul Kagame said Rwanda was ready for "confrontation" as he rejected criticism over his backing for M23 rebels who were pushing south on Thursday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after capturing the major city of Goma.

The president of crisis-hit Democratic Republic of Congo was set to meet his Rwandan counterpart at an emergency summit on Wednesday, as fighters backed by Kigali appeared on the brink of seizing the key city of Goma.

They may be on opposite sides of the Congolese battlefield only by proxy, but Pretoria and Kigali are now trading undiplomatic warnings. The war in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is also stirring up old disputes between the two countries.