President of the Democratic Republic of Congo said on Thursday that his troopers are fighting an insurgence by the Rwandan-backed militant group M23 which recently captured swaths of land in the east.

At least 111 bodies were collected in the streets of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, between Wednesday and Thursday after clashes between the army and the armed group March 23 Movement (M23), which took over the city on Monday,

Residents of eastern Congo's largest city of Goma greeted the arrival of Rwanda-backed rebels with trepidation on Monday, some staying indoors and others coming out to cheer in what one called a "show" of happiness.

M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo were reported to have taken the key eastern city of Goma in fierce fighting with government forces that sent streams of refugees fleeing area communities.

Fighting between M23 and Democratic Republic of the Congo forces has displaced 400,000 since the start of this year, according to the United Nations

There are growing international calls for peace talks to end the escalation of violence in the east of the democratic republic of congo. The fate of the economic and trading hub Goma is still unclear.

M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, have taken control of the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo, causing tens of thousands of people to flee. Goma lies on the border with Rwanda, at the nexus of trade routes for natural resources.

The M23 armed rebel group said it has captured the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s eastern city of Goma on Monday.