Cheers and confusion as M23 rebels enter Bukavu city centre

A crowd of civilians celebrated the arrival of M23 rebels in Bukavu's city centre with chants and cheers.

It is the second regional capital city in the Democratic Republic of Congo that the rebels have taken since early January, when they launched a lightning-speed offensive on Goma in neighbouring North Kivu.

M23 marched south into Bukavu on Saturday, although conflicting reports initially made it difficult to confirm the extent of its advance.

They seemingly encountered little to no resistance.

Congolese soldiers and allied troops from Burundi had reportedly retreated from Bukavu's military bases on Friday, the same day that M23 took control of a regional airport around 30 kilometres outside of Bukavu.

Reports emerged of sporadic gunfire and the looting of a World Food Programme depot and supermarkets in Bukavu.

Despite the chaotic scenes, most streets of the city were actually deserted for hours as residents hid in their homes from looters and the rebels.

Faced with the growing risk of a regional war, the international community has stepped up its calls for deescalation and a ceasefire.

Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN, reiterated during an African Union summit on Saturday to " avoid a regional escalation at all costs."