Manila - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called for an immediate end to fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has resulted in an upsurge of refugees.

"This fighting must be stopped, and I am deeply concerned about the civilian casualties as well as the increasing number of internally displaced persons," he said at a press briefing in Manila, where he was attending an international conference on migration.

Ban said he was already consulting with the leaders of Congo and its neighbour Rwanda as well as European and African leaders to help resolve the conflict.

Ban said he was particularly worried about the situation in Goma in the eastern part of the country, where even UN personnel have been attacked.

"The situation in Goma is worrisome," he said. "There was some attacks even against the United Nations mission by civilian people."

Thousands of refugees continued to pour into Goma Tuesday as Congolese troops and UN peacekeepers battled forces of renegade Tutsi General Laurent Nkunda.

UN helicopter gunships and armoured vehicles have been supporting the Congolese troops north of Goma as Nkunda's National Congress for the Defence of the People presses toward the town.