As an East African bloc urged an immediate ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels who seized the city of Goma extended their advance on Wednesday, and Congo said it planned a campaign to recover lost territory.

Regional tensions spiral as peacekeepers killed in fighting following Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group offensive

Local sources said Kigali-backed fighters were advancing on a new front and had seized two districts in South Kivu province, after the rebel group’s capture of most of Goma, the capital of North Kivu.

France's Foreign Ministry said that Congo's territorial integrity was "not negotiable" after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels took the eastern city of Goma. M23 rebels said they would march "all the way to Kinshasa.

Kenya has announced a virtual crisis summit, but Congolese state media says President Felix Tshisekedi will not attend.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa accuses Rwanda of backing M23 rebels behind escalating crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo this week

Meanwhile, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said his country will “deal” with any confrontation from South Africa after 13 of its peacekeepers in eastern Congo were killed.

The rebels, which Rwanda denies supporting, have long been funded at least in part by the illicit mineral trade.

The group's capture of most of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, is a dramatic escalation in a region that has seen decades of conflict involving multiple armed groups.

Congo's leader has called on young people to enlist in the army to help fight Rwanda-backed rebels attempting to seize more territory in the country's conflict-battered east.

By Yassin Kombi and Sonia Rolley GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) -President Paul Kagame said Rwanda was ready for "confrontation" as he rejected criticism over his backing for M23 rebels who were pushing south on Thursday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after capturing the major city of Goma.