Diamonds, gold, and the mineral wealth of the Democratic Republic of Congo are being plundered by foreign armies to finance and fuel battles in central Africa.

The conclusion comes from a United Nations panel of experts appointed by Secretary General Kofi Annan to investigate the exploitation of natural resources in the DRC.

The panel names Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi as prime offenders.

In a report handed to the Security Council on Monday, the panel calls for an embargo against the three countries which have actively intervened in support of rebel factions in Congo's civil war.

The chair of the panel says almost all the belligerents are benefitting from the conflict, making the Congolese themselves the only losers.

Rebels in the DRC barred the deployment of peacekeepers on a UN observer mission to the DRC on the weekend. The United States calls that move a violation of international peace agreements.