Rebels seized the airport of east Congo's largest city, Goma, on Tuesday, potentially cutting off the main route for aid to reach hundreds of thousands of displaced people, after capturing the city in an offensive that left dead bodies lying in the streets.

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels faced pockets of resistance from army and pro-government militia overnight after entering eastern Congo's largest city Goma in the worst escalation of a conflict that has run for more than a decade.

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have claimed to capture a key city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo - Goma. This is the latest and sharpest escalation in one of Africa’s longest wars.