Nearly 3,000 people were killed over the last week as rebels captured a key city in one of the deadliest battles in the Central African country in decades.

Rebels in eastern Congo's largest city, Goma, began a ceasefire on Tuesday and people rushed to bury some 2,000 victims of last week's battles for the city as they feared the spread of disease.

DR Congo requested the urgent meeting of the UN's top rights body to discuss escalating fighting by Rwanda-backed armed group M23 in North and South Kivu provinces, and drew up a draft resolution that would set up the probe.