Representatives of Congo's powerful Catholic church met on Wednesday with a rebel leader whose Rwandan-backed M23 forces last month seized Goma, the biggest city in the country's east, and have continued advancing south.

Congo’s largest church organizations have met with Rwanda-backed rebels in the country’s east to advocate for peace and dialogue after weekslong fighting

The Rwanda-backed rebels who captured a major city in eastern Congo have sought to reassure its residents about their safety.

Hopes for a ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo are fading as the Rwanda-backed rebel group, M23, is vying to expand its control. NBC News’ Steve Patterson reports on the violence in the mineral-rich country.