Five civilians killed in Rwanda town near DR Congo border: Rwandan army

KIGALI - Five civilians were killed and 25 seriously wounded in Rwanda across the border from Goma, the besieged regional capital in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda's army told AFP Monday.

Army spokesman Ronald Rwivanga said "five civilians have died and 25 severely wounded and more were lightly injured" on the outskirts of Rwandan border town Gisenyi.

He did not elaborate but there have been multiple reports of clashes along the border on Monday.

An AFP journalist in Gisenyi said there were "several detonations" on the Rwandan side in the last hour, forcing them to retreat inside.

READ: DR Congo's Goma close to falling to militia, Rwanda troops: France

Maina Kingori, of global NGO CARE International who was overseeing operations in Gisenyi, earlier told AFP they had been forced to leave.

"All of last night there were intense gunshots. This morning things became worse. Mortars or shells appeared to be landing on the Rwandan side of the border," he said.

It comes as militia fighters and Rwandan troops on Sunday entered Goma, home to some million residents.

The fighting is intensifying a humanitarian crisis with international observers urging a halt to hostilities as concerns for regional security spiral.