Rwandan-backed fighters closed in on eastern Congo's largest city of Goma on Sunday, forcing thousands of civilians to flee and grounding flights from the local airport as government forces battled to stop the rebels seizing the city.

Congo has severed diplomatic ties with Rwanda as fighting between Rwanda-backed rebels and government forces rages around the key eastern city of Goma.

M23 has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, encircling Goma, which has around two million people and is a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts. View on euronews

Nine United Nations peacekeepers in eastern Congo sustained injuries during fighting with the M23 armed group, the U.N. said, as the rebels close in on Goma.