Congo's president says he is going to launch a unity government as violence spreads across the country's east and pressure mounts over his handling of the crisis. In some of his first statements since Rwandan-backed rebels captured major cities in eastern Congo,

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi will launch a unity government, his spokesperson said on Saturday, as he faces domestic pressure over his handling of an offensive by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern provinces.

Amid growing unrest in eastern Congo, President Felix Tshisekedi has announced plans to establish a unity government. As Rwandan-backed rebels capture major cities and tensions rise, Tshisekedi emphasizes the importance of unity and reaching out to opposition groups to address the crisis and stabilize the region.

The M23's capture of swathes of eastern Congo and valuable mineral deposits has fanned fears of a wider war and provoked some members of the fractious opposition to openly predict his

M23 rebels, supported by about 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, according to UN experts, have been leading an insurgency in the central African country since last month. The rebels captured the eastern city of Goma,