C orneille nangaa sits in an armchair in a five-star-hotel in Goma, the largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and stretches out his hand. “Thank you for embracing the terrorists,” he jokes, to laughter from his entourage.

Rwanda-backed rebels gained ground in eastern Congo on Wednesday despite the unilateral ceasefire they declared earlier this week, taking control of a town 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the provincial capital of Bukavu,

Rwandan-backed M23 rebels captured the mining town of Nyabibwe in eastern Congo’s South Kivu province, violating a ceasefire they declared earlier this week, according to NBC News. The rebels now advance toward Bukavu, raising fears of further conflict after seizing the city of Goma last week.