The governor of North Kivu province in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) died from wounds received during a visit to the front line during fighting with the M23 (March 23 Movement) rebel group, which is approaching the city of Goma - the provincial capital, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA, citing a statement from the authorities.
In recent weeks, the M23 rebels have achieved significant territorial gains, surrounding the city of Goma - a regional center for security and humanitarian activities, where about 2 million people live, the AP notes.
The United States, Britain and France have meanwhile urged their citizens to leave Goma, Agence France-Presse reported.
The circumstances surrounding The circumstances surrounding the death of Major General Peter Tsirimwami are unclear, but on the day of his death, Tsirimwami, who was leading army operations in the restive North Kivu province, was visiting soldiers on the frontline in Kasengezhi, about 13 kilometers from Goma.
His death was confirmed by a government source, a military source and a UN source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Panic gripped Goma yesterday after rebels took control of Sake, a town just 27 kilometers from the provincial capital and one of the last main roads into the city still under government control, according to UN.
The M23 is one of about 100 armed groups vying for control of the resource-rich eastern part of DR Congo, along the border with Rwanda, in a decades-long conflict that has created one of the world's largest humanitarian crises, the AP notes.
More than 7 million people have been displaced by the fighting. Earlier this month, M23 rebels seized the towns of Minova, Katale and Masisi, west of the city of Goma. In 2012, M23 captured Goma and took control of the city for more than a week.
DR Congo, the United States and UN experts accuse Rwanda of supporting the M23, an armed group made up mainly of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army more than a decade ago. The Rwandan government denies this claim, but last year it admitted that it has troops and missile systems in eastern DR Congo to ensure its security, citing a Congolese presence near the border. UN experts estimate that there are up to 4,000 Rwandan soldiers in DR Congo.