On Sunday, the streets of Gome was rolling with motorcycles and they were panicked.

Asifiwa Iragi Rugesha tried to spend her six children through a crowd of displaced people. That morning, they escaped from bombing in Kubatia. But while M23 approached the bunch, they barely fled to a safe place.

Still, that was the only option, Mrs. Rugesha said.

“There’s nothing else to do,” she said. “If M23 comes to Goma, we will die.”