In the last few days, about 6,000 refugees who had returned home in DR Congo have fled back to neighbouring Uganda.

Sources say government forces are fighting to retake villages in Rutshuru area in North Kivu province that are currently occupied by the M23 rebels.

A resident of the border town of Bunagana told the BBC that they could hear heavy weapons in the distance.

Regional leaders were expected to meet this week over negotiations between the government and rebels.

The M23 say that they want a peace agreement that was signed over a decade ago to be honoured.

The agreement provided for M23 to operate as a political party, stopping alleged discrimination of Congolese ethnic Tutsi in the armed forces and the return of refugees to their country, among other issues.

Last week, eight UN peacekeepers were killed when their helicopter was downed around Tchanzu area, where fighting had broken out.

It is not yet clear whether the plane was shot down or by whom, and the M23 denied responsibility.

Uganda and Rwanda have previously been blamed for providing support to the M23 rebels, an accusation that they deny.