East African regional leaders on Saturday called for immediate steps to establish a definite ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).At a summit in Burundi’s capital Bujumbura, the leaders of the regional East African Community (EAC) bloc called for an “immediate ceasefire by all parties,” according to a communique issued at the end of the meeting.

The M23 rebel group has seized large areas of eastern Congo’s North Kivu province in a rapid onslaught since October 20, threatening  the provincial capital, Goma.

Saturday’s summit was attended by heads of state from Rwanda, Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo and Burundi and senior officials from the region.

They also demanded the withdrawal of all foreign and armed groups from Congo and asked regional military chiefs to meet within one week and set a time-frame for the withdrawal.

“The summit reiterated its call to all parties to de-escalate tensions,” read part of the communique.

The Congolese government has been in the spotlight recently, due to its unilateral decision to deport three Rwandan military officers who were serving the regional force.

On February 1st, the EAC secretary general Peter Mathuki wrote to Congolese prime minister Christophe Lutundula, seeking clarification on the deportation of officers, who enjoyed immunity.

Tensions between DR Congo and Rwanda had escalated recently following a Rwandan missile strike on a Congolese fighter jet which it claimed had violated its airspace.

It was the third such alleged incursion in three months, according to Rwanda.

DR Congo had vowed to retaliate.