(Reuters) -Chaotic scenes unfolded in the eastern Congo city of Bukavu on Saturday after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels reached its outskirts, while a threat by Uganda's army chief to attack a Congolese town raised fears of the conflict flaring into a wider regional war.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has been mired in conflict for years. As fresh fighting surges in the east, the roots of today’s violence can be traced back to old problems.

Earlier on Friday, the Congolese army confirmed that M23 fighters had taken control of Kavumu airport, north of Bukavu, and that Congolese troops had pulled back with their equipment. The rebels have been trying to push south towards Bukavu since they seized Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, at the end of last month.