A rebel group that claimed to have captured the city of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last week has called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, after fighting with the Congolese military has left hundreds of people dead.

The Rwandan-backed armed group M23 announced a unilateral humanitarian "ceasefire" from Tuesday in the DR Congo's (DRC) perennially explosive east, following calls for a safe corridor for aid and hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

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

The Eastern Congo rebel alliance that includes the M23 has declared a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons starting on Feb. 4, the group known as the Congo River Alliance said in a statement.

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.

Over 2,000 bodies require burial in Goma after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels took over the Democratic of Congo city last week, inflaming a decade-old conflict and humanitarian crisis, Congo's communications minister Patrick Muyaya said late on Monday.

The Rwanda-backed rebels who seized a major city in eastern Congo have declared a unilateral ceasefire, citing humanitarian grounds. But, there was no sign of them giving up control of Goma at the heart of a region home to trillions of dollars in mineral wealth.

The Eastern Congo rebel alliance that includes the M23 has declared a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons starting on February 4. The group, known as the Congo River Alliance, made this announcement in a statement on Monday.