The capture of the city has cut off the supply of goods to North Kivu, an emerging market for East African Community (EAC) member states.

Clashes in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's besieged city of Goma have killed at least 17 people and injured nearly 370, hospital sources said on Monday, as the Congolese army fought to hold off M23 forces backed by the Rwandan army.

Speaking to BBC Newshour while being locked down in a UN bunker in the city, the deputy head of the UN force, Vivian van de Perre, said the M23 rebels had "established" themselves in Goma, but were still facing "pockets of resistance".

Goma is a lucrative hub because of its niche to valuable deposits of gold, coltan and tin which are minerals essential in the global supply chain for electronics and industrial manufacturing.

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo - Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo were moving south on Wednesday towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, apparently bidding to expand their area of control in the country's east after capturing the city of Goma.

The M23 rebel group has declared the key city of Goma under its control, signalling a big blow to the Congolese army.

The latest fighting has intensified a humanitarian crisis, displacing more than 400,000 people since the start of the year, and raised fears of sparking a regional war, the U.N. has warned.

GOMA : Clashes in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s besieged city of Goma have killed at least 17 people and wounded nearly 370, hospital sources said yesterday, as the Congolese military fought to hold off M23 forces backed by the Rwandan army.

According to reports, the Romanian government and the US intervened to ensure the safe passage of the mercenaries.

In just a few days, rebel fighters and Rwandan soldiers succeeded in taking the major city in eastern Congo. This lightning offensive was prepared in Kigali.

Rebels seized the airport of east Congo's largest city, Goma, on Tuesday, potentially cutting off the main route for aid to reach hundreds of thousands of displaced people, after capturing the city in an offensive that left dead bodies lying in the streets.