International Criminal Court prosecutors said Wednesday they were monitoring the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, noting that credible sources said hundreds had been killed in recent violence.
"The Office (of the prosecutor) is closely following current events, including the grave escalation of violence over the past weeks in eastern DRC, in particular in and around the provincial capital of North Kivu, Goma," it said in a statement.
ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who probes war crimes and crimes against humanity, already has an open investigation into allegations of crimes committed since the start of 2022.
"This investigation is active, and continues with urgency and focus," added the statement, as prosecutors also appealed for information and evidence.
"Credible sources indicate that thousands of persons have been wounded and hundreds killed in and around Goma, including civilians and peacekeepers," the ICC prosecutors said.
Recent days have seen intense clashes between Congolese armed forces and Rwandan-backed M23 fighters, who have taken the strategic city of Goma.
At least 900 people were killed in the Goma clashes and 2,880 wounded, according to the UN's humanitarian body.
"The ongoing situation in and around Goma falls within the scope of the... current investigation" by ICC prosecutors, the statement added.