M23 rebels advance into Bukavu

M23 rebels advanced into the heart of the Congolese city of Bukavu, dealing a further blow to the government's authority in the country's east.

The rebels are backed by neighboring Rwanda and have aimed to seize the commercial hub since taking the city of Goma in late January.

However in Bukavu, there was little sign of the clashes and bloodshed that preceded Goma's capture and people there said they had seen M23 troops passing unopposed through central districts since the early morning.

Some even took selfies with the rebels and welcomed them with cheers and applause.

This video shows M23 fighters posing for photos in the provincial capital's central Independence Square.

While the situation appeared largely calm, more verified footage showed smoke rising from Bukavu's central prison.

The Democratic Republic of Congo's government confirmed rebels were in Bukavu and also accused Rwandan troops of also entering the city.

However it stopped short of saying the city was fully under M23's control.

M23 is a well-equipped group and the latest in a long line of ethnic Tutsi-led rebel movements to emerge in Congo's volatile east.

But Rwanda rejects allegations from Congo, the United Nations, and Western powers that thousands of its troops are fighting alongside the Tutsi-led M23.

It says it is defending itself against the threat from a Hutu militia, which it says is fighting with the Congolese military.

The U.N. refugee agency described the situation as "rapidly deteriorating" and said it has already displaced around 350,000 people.

M23's recent gains in the region mean it has captured more territory than all other rebellions since the end of two major wars that ran from 1996 to 2003.

These advances have also handed them control of some of the region's valuable mineral deposits.

Congo is the world's top producer of cobalt, a key component in batteries for electric vehicles and mobile phones.