The M23 armed group in Democratic Republic of Congo threatened on Tuesday to advance on the provincial capital of Bukavu, citing a "dangerously deteriorating" situation, as Congo rejected a call for direct talks with the rebels.
The capture of Bukavu would represent an unprecedented expansion of territory under the M23's control and deal a further blow to Kinshasa's authority in eastern Congo in the wake of the fall of Goma, the region's largest city, at the end of January.
