A UN convoy has arrived in Rutshuru, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the first shipment of humanitarian aid in a week.
The convoy, escorted by around 50 UN peacekeepers, left Goma - 75km to the south - early this morning and thousands of people displaced by the recent rebel offensive were seen lining the road.
Humanitarian aid officials said the convoy was carrying only a small amount of water and medicines, but would allow aid workers to assess the needs on the ground.
Rebels have been observing a unilateral ceasefire since Wednesday and say they will open a humanitarian corridor to help aid get through.
Development charity Oxfam has urged the EU to send troops to support the 17,000-strong UN peacekeeping force in the DRC.
Elsewhere, the rebel chief in eastern DRC, Laurent Nkunda, has threatened to drive the government from power unless it holds direct talks on his demands.
The renegade Tutsi general told a group of journalists yesterday, at his stronghold in Kichanga, that he was waiting for a response from Kinshasa to his offer of talks.
He added that if the government refused to negotiate, his rebel forces would drive them out of power.
