Sporadic gunfire and explosions have been reported as M23 rebels advance towards a key city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in an offensive that has forced thousands to flee across the border into Burundi.
Residents and military sources said soldiers were fleeing the assault on Uvira, the last government-held city in the mineral-rich region.
US President Donald Trump brokered a peace deal last week between DR Congo's President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwanda's Paul Kagame to end the long-running conflict.
Shops and schools have closed, with terrified residents staying indoors amid fears that rebels had taken control of some government buildings.
But South Kivu Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi dismissed reports that the rebels were in the city as 'completely unfounded rumours'.
Residents told local media that the rebels were patrolling central Uvira under the cover of darkness on Tuesday night, while the city remained deserted early on Wednesday.
A local rights official told AP news agency that there was a 'risk of a massacre' if the remaining soldiers mounted strong resistance.
It's chaotic, nobody's in charge. Uvira is done for, a Burundian officer told AFP news agency.
Military and security sources said the rebel fighters advanced from the north, near the Burundian border.
In a national address on Monday, Tshisekedi accused Rwanda of 'deliberate violations' of the peace accord, asserting, 'This is a proxy war aimed at challenging our sovereignty over a highly strategic area, rich in critical minerals.'
The offensive comes nearly a year after the M23 rebels seized control of Goma and Bukavu, two other main cities in the region. The UN has reported that at least 74 people have been killed and around 83 wounded in the latest clashes.
The situation remains dire as tensions with Rwanda continue, complicating prospects for peace in a region long affected by conflict.
