Three South African peacekeepers have been killed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where fighting intensified on Saturday between the Congolese army and Rwandan-backed M23 fighters, a political party said.

An AFP reporter saw a burned-out, smoking armoured vehicle of the UN peacekeeping force MONUSCO on the road between Goma and Sake, scene of intense fighting in recent days.

Shops were open in Goma on Saturday and day-to-day activity appeared normal despite artillery detonations in the distance that resonated as far as the city centre.

Intense fighting has been raging since Thursday on several fronts less than 10 kilometres (six miles) around the virtually besieged city.

The European Union urged the M23 on Saturday to halt its advance and withdraw immediately.

“Rwanda must cease its support for the M23 and withdraw. The EU strongly condemns Rwanda’s military presence in the DRC as a clear violation of international law, the UN charter and the territorial integrity of the DRC,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.

“The city of Goma is under immense pressure. The threat by M23 to conquer Goma is unacceptable and has in itself grave humanitarian and security consequences on the ground,” she said.

Angolan President Joao Lourenco, appointed mediator by the African Union in the crisis between Rwanda and the DRC, denounced “irresponsible actions by the M23 and its supporters” which would have “harmful consequences for regional security”.

The United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) said its Quick Reaction Forces have “been actively engaged in intense combat”.

“Over the past 48 hours, MONUSCO’s heavy artillery has conducted firing missions against M23 positions”, it said.

Some 15,000 peacekeepers are present in the DRC.

In South Africa, the political party Democratic Alliance said Saturday that three South African military peacekeepers had been killed and 18 injured in the fighting in DRC.