Civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are at increasing risk as the abusive M23 armed group, supported by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), approaches Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.

Luggage on their backs, they trudged all Wednesday morning along the road leading to downtown Goma, fleeing the advancing fighters in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

While M23 rebels closed in on Goma, a major city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the US, UK and France on Friday called on their nationals to leave the area. Clashes between the Congolese army and rebels have triggered a humanitarian crisis as diplomatic efforts to mediate talks between Congolese and Rwandan leaders have failed.

The military governor of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has died from injuries sustained during fighting on the front line, local authorities say, as M23 rebel fighters close in on the provincial capital,

Authorities say the governor of eastern Congo’s North-Kivu province has died from injuries sustained on the front line as M23 rebels close in on Goma

After seizing the town of Minova on Tuesday, the rebels moved into the town of Sake, around 20 km (12 miles) west of Goma, the provincial capital and home to over 1 million people