The rebels' advance into Goma has killed at least 2,000 people in and around the city, Congolese authorities have said. M23 issued a 72-hour ultimatum to displaced people to leave settlement camps and return to their villages, the UN's humanitarian aid coordination agency, OCHA, said in its briefing on Tuesday.

"The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) informs the public that in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the regime in Kinshasa it declares a ceasefire starting 4 February 4 2025 for humanitarian reasons," the rebels said in a statement posted on social media platform X.

On Saturday there were reports of sporadic gunfire and widespread looting in the city, including at a World Food Programme depot, with residents sheltering in their homes. It follows conflicting reports about whether the Rwanda-backed rebels had entered the key city of Bukavu,