While Goma has fallen into the hands of the rebel group and the Rwandan army, Sake, just a few kilometers away, remains largely abandoned. The more daring residents stroll the streets by day but return to their camps at night.

After capturing Goma, the main city in North Kivu province, last week, the M23 and Rwandan troops launched a new offensive on Wednesday in a neighbouring province.

Rwandan-backed armed group M23 announced a humanitarian “ceasefire” from Tuesday in DR Congo’s explosive east, days before a planned crisis meeting between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.