RWANDA-backed militia now control large parts of eastern Congo and threaten to expand their offensive west into two neighbouring provinces, according to the UN.

In a briefing to the UN security council on what she called “the alarming situation” in Congo, Bintou Keita, the special representative of the secretary-general in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, pointed to the M23 militia’s installation of an administration in South Kivu, and “a mining delegate” in North Kivu — another link between the conflicts in eastern Congo and the illegal exploitation of its mineral riches.

Ms Keita also cited massive human rights violations including more than 100 summary executions, rapes and forced recruitment of children.

Despite a recent agreement between the presidents of Congo and Rwanda in Qatar, Ms Keita said the immediate and unconditional ceasefire they called for has not taken place.

She told the council that M23 controls large parts of North Kivu and South Kivu “and threatens to expand into Tshopo and Maniema provinces,” which are larger and across the Kivus’ western borders.

M23 and its allies have vowed to march as far as Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, about 1,000 miles to the east, and moving into Tshopo and Maniema would be a first major step.

M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda.

The conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and has displaced more than 7 million people.

Congo’s UN ambassador Zenon Mukongo Ngay blamed Rwanda for not maintaining the ceasefire.

He said Rwanda and the M23 continue to respond to calls for the withdrawal of all “uninvited” foreign forces from Congo “with violence, with terror.”

Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe again wouldn’t confirm the presence of Rwandan troops in Congo.

But he said the country’s “defensive measures” will remain in place “until there is a credible framework for long-term security guarantees” along the border.