Nearly 3,000 people were killed over the last week as rebels captured a key city in one of the deadliest battles in the Central African country in decades.

A man stands in front of a gas station office that was hit by light and heavy weapons during the fighting in the town that led to the fall of Goma to the M23 rebels, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,

Rebels in eastern Congo's largest city, Goma, began a ceasefire on Tuesday and people rushed to bury some 2,000 victims of last week's battles for the city as they feared the spread of disease.

The cost of some essential food items has more than doubled in Goma, the main city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that was captured by M23 rebels last week, according to locals and an NGO.

The M23 armed group and Rwandan forces launched a new offensive on Wednesday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, days before the Rwandan and Congolese presidents are due to attend

The fragile ceasefire in eastern DR Congo is on the verge of collapse as Rwandan-backed M23 rebels reportedly seize control of Nyabibwe town in South Kivu province. The mining town, a key commercial hub between Goma and Bukavu,