The rebel leader whose fighters have captured Goma, the biggest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, has vowed to continue their offensive all the way to the capital, Kinshasa. Corneille Nangaa, who heads an alliance of rebel groups that includes the M23, said their ultimate aim was to topple President Félix Tshisekedi's government.

Rwanda-backed rebels who captured eastern Congo's largest city said Thursday they want to take their fight to the far-off capital, Kinshasa, while Congo’s president called for a massive military mobilization to resist the rebellion and his defense minister rejected calls for talks.

A major offensive by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in east Democratic Republic of Congo appeared to have stalled on Saturday after the army took back some ground, two civil society sources and a local official said.

The rebels’ advance into other areas was slowed by a weakened military that recovered some villages from them.