The State Department said the escalation in violence poses a risk to millions of people facing displacement and deprivation.
The United States has condemned the growing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and blamed armed groups it says are backed by neighboring Rwanda.
In recent days, fighting has escalated between the M23 rebel group and government forces in eastern DRC, resulting in dozens of soldiers and civilians being killed or injured.
The fighting has also caused tens of thousands of civilians to flee to the eastern city of Goma, located between Lake Kivu and the Rwandan border.
“This escalation increases the risk for millions of people already exposed to human rights violations, including displacement, deprivation, and assault,” U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
“The United States condemns Rwanda’s support for the armed group M23 and urges Rwanda to immediately withdraw all Rwandan Defense Force personnel from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and to issue surface-to-air missiles that threaten the lives of civilians, the United Nations, and other regional peacekeepers. “We call for the removal of the system, humanitarian aid workers, and commercial flights in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Miller added.
The DRC on Saturday accused Rwanda of carrying out a drone attack that damaged a civilian aircraft at Goma's airport.
“It clearly came from Rwandan territory and violates the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Lt. Col. Guillaume Njike Kite said in a video broadcast.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations and Western countries have accused Rwanda of supporting rebel groups to control its vast mineral wealth, a charge Kigali denies.
South Africa announced on Wednesday that it would send 2,900 troops to support the Democratic Republic of Congo's army against the insurgents.
The DRC has been at war for decades with a number of rebel groups that emerged in the resource-rich eastern region in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide.
M23, which left the Democratic Republic of Congo's army in 2012, says it is fighting to protect the Congolese Tutsis who face tribal discrimination in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
