A rebel group has said it has advanced into Bukavu, the second largest city in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with residents reporting looting and fighters in the streets.

Panic and looting are sweeping through eastern Congo’s second largest city as residents flee by the thousands to escape the looming advance of Rwanda-backed rebels

On Saturday there were reports of sporadic gunfire and widespread looting in the city, including at a World Food Programme depot, with residents sheltering in their homes. It follows conflicting reports about whether the Rwanda-backed rebels had entered the key city of Bukavu,