Laden with just the possessions they can carry, thousands of displaced people have reached the outskirts of the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, fleeing a rapid M23 rebel advance that has taken more territory than ever before.

A local official reports the M23 rebel group has seized the eastern town of Minova, a main supply route for the provincial capital Goma after forcing out government troops. The Tutsi-led group has been waging a renewed insurgency in the east since 2022.