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.

Laden with just the possessions they can carry, thousands of displaced people have reached the outskirts of the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, fleeing a rapid M23 rebel advance that has taken more territory than ever before.

The international airport in Goma was evacuated and commercial flights temporarily grounded as fighting between Rwanda-backed rebels and government forces raged around eastern Congo's key city, leaving at least 13 peacekeepers and foreign soldiers dead and displacing thousands of civilians. Story by Emily Boyle and Nina Masson.