The three peacekeepers — one from Uruguay and two from South Africa — were killed over the weekend in the fighting around Goma. More than 300 U.N. peacekeepers have been killed since the mission in Congo was deployed in 1999. The deaths have renewed questions about the future of the U.N. mission, known as MONUSCO.

There are growing international calls for peace talks to end the escalation of violence in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The fate of the economic and trading hub Goma is still unclear. UN officials have said the situation is chaotic with fighting continuing in parts of the city.

The United States urged the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to consider measures to halt an offensive by Rwandan troops and M23 rebel forces in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as a conflict there escalates.