A three-year insurgency in Democratic Republic of Congo's mineral-rich east has intensified since the start of this year, with M23 rebels seizing control of more territory than ever before and vowing to take the largest eastern city,

Fighting has escalated sharply in recent weeks in eastern Congo, where rebels have seized key towns and are closing in on the city of Goma, the government’s last stronghold in the North Kivu province,

Rwandan-backed rebels captured the city of Goma in eastern Congo early Monday, according to a press release by the M23 rebel movement. The city's capture came following a 48-hour deadline imposed by the group for the Congolese army to surrender their weapons.