The UN Security Council on Wednesday reported "serious violations of human rights" and recruitment of child soldiers in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but stressed that "political solution is necessary"

Gert Rosenthal, Guatemala's UN ambassador who holds the rotating council presidency for October, told reporters here after a close-door council meeting on the situation of the DRC.

"The situation is worrying, the M23 (rebel group) has expanded their territorial possession in the eastern Congo," he said, adding there are serious violations of human rights, recruitment of child soldiers and sexual exploitations.

The M23, which is composed of a breakaway faction of soldiers from DRC's national army, has seized seven towns in North Kivu province earlier this year and intensified attacks on schools, hospitals, homes and other civilian targets.

The eastern provinces of North and South Kivu have witnessed increased fighting between government troops and the M23, which has displaced more than 100,000 people, including many who have fled to neighboring Rwanda and Uganda.

As for the solution to the crisis in eastern DRC, the council president said, "There are various initiatives going on especially from the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region, and all members of the council have agreed that a political solution is necessary."

In early September, the Great Lakes region summit concluded in Kampala, capital of Uganda, with no major progress on ending the fighting in eastern DRC, which has forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee to neighboring countries.

The leaders agreed to meet again at a UN mini-summit late this month to resolve the issue.

In July, regional leaders met on the sidelines of the African Union summit and agreed to deploy a neutral force to fight the M23 rebels who are responsible for the latest fighting in eastern DRC.

Rosenthal said the 15-nation UN body is likely to adopt a presidential statement on the DRC early next week to air what he called "the collective point of view of the council" on the issue.

More than 70 French-speaking countries, many from Africa, are expected to arrive in Kinshasa, the DRC capital, for the 14th annual Francophonie Summit on Oct. 12-14, to discuss mainly rebellion in east DRC and the Islamist takeover of Mali's north, reports said.