The military governor of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, has died from injuries sustained during fighting on the front line, local authorities say, as M23 rebel fighters close in on the provincial capital, Goma.
The circumstances around the death of Major General Peter Cirimwami were unclear, but Cirimwami, who led army operations in restive North Kivu in the eastern DRC, visited troops on the front line in Kasengezi, about 13km (8 miles) from Goma, on Thursday, the day of his death.
His death was confirmed by a government source, a military source and a United Nations source on Friday, all of whom spoke to the media on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak about the matter publicly.
M23 has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, encircling Goma, which has a population of about 2 million people and is a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts.
On Thursday, panic spread in Goma as rebels took control of Sake, a town 27km (16 miles) northwest of the provincial capital and on a road that is one of the last main routes into the city still under government control, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The UN warned that the raging conflict in North Kivu had displaced more than 400,000 people this year and could spark a regional war.
The United States, the United Kingdom and France on Friday called on their nationals to leave Goma while airports and borders are still open, issuing the advice in online statements or in messages sent directly by email or SMS.
Al jazeera/Shakirat Sadiq
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