KILIMANYOKA, Congo - Congolese troops are retreating from rebels by tank, truck and foot just 11 kilometres north of the eastern provincial capital of Goma.

Refugees who spent the night in the open lobbed rocks at United Nations tanks also moving away from the battlefield.

UN officials have ordered staff to stay home the day after mobs hurled stones at agency compounds in Goma to vent their outrage at the failure to halt the rebellion.

A UN helicopter was patrolling Tuesday near the front line above Kilimanyoka.

Peacekeepers in attack helicopters fired at rebels Monday trying to stop their advance but refugees say the fighters are a few kilometres from the provincial capital.

Renegade Gen. Laurent Nkunda has vowed to seize Goma in his fight to protect minority ethnic Tutsis.