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.

The rebel group M23 declared a ceasefire in areas under its control in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, citing humanitarian reasons. The streets of Goma were busy as aid groups rushed Tuesday to help the thousands of people wounded and displaced during the past week’s fighting between M23 and pro-Congolese government forces.