The M23 group which is fighting the Congolese army in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday seized a trading hub that supplies the city of Goma, security and local sources told AFP.
The fall of Minova to M23 fighters further encircles the regional capital Goma in a conflict that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
"We were exchanging (fire) with the enemy, but it has taken Minova," a Congolese army officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Minova, a locality of about 65,000 inhabitants, is in South Kivu province and wedged between Lake Kivu and the Masisi mountains.
'Population fleeing'
"The M23 arrived at 6:00 am (0400 GMT). The population is fleeing," Shosho Ntale, a traditional leader in Minova told AFP by telephone.
A hospital source and several humanitarian sources also confirmed that the M23 had taken Minova.
The Congolese army did not respond to requests for comment by AFP.
Since its resurgence at the end of 2021, the M23 movement has continued to gain ground in eastern DRC.
Fighting taking place on several fronts
But its capture of Minova is the latest in a series of significant advances in recent weeks.
M23 fighters in early January captured Masisi, the administrative capital of Masisi territory in North Kivu province.
Masisi has around 40,000 inhabitants and is 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Goma, North Kivu's provincial capital.
Fighting is now taking place on several fronts around Goma and hundreds of thousands of people are displaced around the outskirts of the city, which was briefly captured by the M23 in 2012.
Routes cut off
The clashes are now just 20 kilometres from Goma in the Sake hills, raising fears again about the city's fate.
Many routes leading to Goma have been cut off by the fighting and people often cross Lake Kivu with supplies on overloaded boats.
Shipwrecks are frequent on the lake and there is rarely a well-established list of passengers.
Since early Monday, boats have been transporting people fleeing Minova who will try to seek refuge in Goma, according to local sources.
'Arriving en masse'
"We continue to receive displaced people who are arriving en masse," said Ishara Kaziwa, who is responsible for the protection of the Lushagala camp on the outskirts of Goma.
"We have already received more than 100 households," Kaziwa added.
More than 230,000 people have already fled violence in eastern DRC since the start of the year, the United Nations said on Friday, calling it one of the world's "most alarming" humanitarian crises.
"The rebels say they are bringing us peace and that we have nothing to fear," a Minova resident who declined to give his name told AFP by telephone.
A hospital in Goma has taken in more than 200 wounded since early January as the fighting intensified.
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