More than 7,000 people have died this year as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have captured unprecedented amounts of territory in mineral-rich eastern Congo, Congo's prime minister said Monday, as the European Union announced it would review an agreement with Rwanda on critical raw materials.

Residents say Rwanda-backed rebels appear to be heading toward a third major city in eastern Congo. International pressure rose Tuesday over the M23’s expansion in the mineral-rich region that’s critical for global technology.