Congo army battles M23 rebels near eastern city of Goma

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - A U.N. brigade tasked with neutralising armed groups in Congo has assisted the country's army in clashes with eastern rebels on Monday, ending a brief lull in days of fighting that has killed and wounded dozens.

The violence, the most serious in months, is the first major test for the newly deployed U.N. Intervention Brigade which has an unprecedented mandate to launch military operations against M23, one of the rebels at the heart of nearly two decades of conflict.