Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo said on Tuesday they would pull out of the eastern city of Goma in an apparent stalling of their drive to "liberate" the whole country. However, the situation on the ground remained far from clear after the rebels' political and military leaders gave conflicting statements over their intentions. The eight-month insurgency has threatened to develop into an all-out war in a region dogged by nearly two decades of conflict that has killed more than 5 million people and is fuelled by competition over mineral resources. …

M23 is digging in while the Congolese army prepares another offensive," said Jason Stearns of independent research organisation the Rift Valley Institute.