French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has arrived in Congo's capital Kinshasa, an official at the presidency said on Thursday, as Rwanda-backed rebels consolidated control of Goma in the east of the African country.

In 2012, when M23 rebels appeared poised to seize control of a major city in eastern Congo, western countries suspended aid to put pressure on Rwanda to withdraw its support

France's foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, undertakes a diplomatic mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The mission aims to de-escalate tensions following the M23 rebels' advance into Goma.

The United States, France and Britain pressured Rwanda on Sunday over its support for rebels rapidly closing in on eastern Congo's largest city, as government forces struggled to halt an offensive that has forced thousands of civilians to flee.

Many blame the United States, France and other allies for allowing neighboring Rwanda to fuel a conflict in the country’s east.

France criticizes Rwanda's support of the M23 rebel offensive in the Democratic Republic of Congo. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged for fighting to cease and dialogue to resume. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of peacekeepers and displaced thousands,

A conflict that has raged for decades reached a flashpoint this week when rebels backed by Rwanda marched on a key Congolese city in a bid to occupy territory and exploit minerals.

President Paul Kagame said Rwanda was ready for "confrontation" as he rejected criticism over his backing for M23 rebels who were pushing south on Thursday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after capturing the major city of Goma.

Rebels seized the airport of east Congo's largest city, Goma, on Tuesday, potentially cutting off the main route for aid to reach hundreds of thousands of displaced people, after capturing the city in an offensive that left dead bodies lying in the streets.

On Saturday, 71-year-old Noël Louise Mekah Fossi, the daughter of murdered Cameroon independence activist Jacob Fossi, stands at the site of his death in Metche Falls. She is an outspoken critic of France's foreign policy towards its former colony.

Rwanda-backed rebels who captured eastern Congo's largest city said Thursday they want to take their fight to the far-off capital, Kinshasa, while Congo’s president called for a massive military mobilization to resist the rebellion and his defense minister rejected calls for talks.