Congolese rebels fought their way closer to the city of Goma in eastern Congo, sending tens of thousands of villagers fleeing down muddy roads, as the top U.N. representative in the country appealed to the Security Council to reinforce its peacekeeping force. Congolese government soldiers, better known for preying on civilians than helping them, retreated from the front lines north of Goma, leaving the job of protecting Goma's population of 600,000 to the U.N. mission, known as MONUC.

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