Hollywood star Ben Affleck is trying to highlight the plight of those caught in the Congo fighting by touring refugee camps and meeting aid workers. The actor, who has visited the country four times since 2007 and has made a documentary about its problems, is also encouraging people to donate more to agencies working there.

"I'm not an expert in international affairs or diplomacy, but it doesn't take that to see the tremendous suffering here," he said yesterday in Goma, the regional capital at the centre of the fighting between government and rebels.

"It's not something that we as human beings can, in good conscience ignore."

Years of sporadic violence in eastern Congo intensified in August, when fighting heated up between the army and fighters loyal to rebel leader Laurent Nkunda. Some fear the current crisis could once again draw in neighbouring countries, as in Congo's devastating 1998-2002 war.

The United Nations Security Council yesterday agreed to send 3,100 more peacekeeping troops to Congo.