Rwanda says it has disarmed a group of Congolese renegade troops who led a revolt in eastern Congo this month as international pressure mounted on both countries to stop border tensions flaring into another war.
Fears that tiny Rwanda - which has invaded its huge neighbour twice in the past eight years - and Congo could start a fresh conflict grew at the weekend after the Kinshasa government flew up to 10,000 troops to the east.
Rwanda called the military build up - which UN officials described as unprecedented - a hostile act and vowed to defend itself if attacked.
Congo's defence minister denied his country was preparing for war, but in a sign of mounting international concern, Washington and London rushed two top envoys to the region to urge restraint.
"This visit is very sudden because of our deep concern for the crisis in eastern Congo," US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Donald Yamamoto said in Congo's capital Kinshasa.
"The international community and the US are here to support the transitional government and make sure it succeeds and to help (UN peacekeeping force) MONUC succeed in its mission," he said. British Minister for Africa Chris Mullin was also in Kinshasa.
Congo, struggling to integrate former foes into a new army after five years of war, has accused Rwanda of helping renegade troops briefly seize the eastern town of Bukavu earlier this month in a major blow to the country's shaky peace process.
Rwanda denies the charge and, in what diplomats said appeared to be a sign of detente, announced on Tuesday it had disarmed renegade Congolese army commander Jules Mutebutsi after he crossed into Rwanda on Monday night with some 300 troops.