Judith Tuluka Suminwa, the prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, says her government has ruled out direct talks with M23 after the Rwanda-backed rebel group seized eastern cities including Goma and Bukavu in an advance that’s killed at least 8,500 people. On Monday, the United Nations said M23 fighters abducted at least 130 sick and wounded men from two hospitals in the city of Goma last week.

Meanwhile, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 500 patients with the contagious viral disease mpox have fled clinics in eastern DRC. Africa CDC warns the fighting is worsening an mpox outbreak that’s killed 180 people and sickened nearly 3,000 so far this year.