France, Dec. 3 -- The Congolese armed forces have accused the M23 rebel groupof breaching a recent ceasefire, claimingthat they killed at least 50 people in a massacre earlier this week and warning that the army would defend civilians from attacks.

Thursday's statement from DRC government forces came less than a week after regional leaders issued a ceasefire ultimatum at a summit in Angola, saying the M23 needed to withdraw from the towns it has occupied in recent months or else a Kenyan-ledEast African regional force would intervene.

Meanwhile, the UNpeacekeeping mission- Monusco- said the violence took place Tuesday in Kishishe village "and included a high number of civilian casualties".

The community is about 70 kilometresfrom...