Renewed violence in eastern DRC threatens civilians amid Ebola outbreak: UN

China

Renewed violence in eastern DRC threatens civilians amid Ebola outbreak: UN

2026-06-06 16:01 Last Updated At：23:07

Increased deadly attacks in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) this week isolate communities and threaten Ebola response, UN humanitarians warned on Friday.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the intensifying violence is claiming civilian lives and severely restricting humanitarian access in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

OCHA said that in North Kivu, local authorities reported an armed attack in Beni territory on Tuesday night that killed at least 24 civilians and triggered fresh displacement.

In neighboring Masisi territory, heavy clashes on Wednesday prompted more residents to flee their homes, compounding a crisis that has displaced 270,000 people as of May.

"The renewed violence has compelled humanitarian organizations to restrict movements in several areas, further limiting access to affected populations," said OCHA.

The office said that in South Kivu, local authorities reported hostilities on Wednesday in the Fizi and Mwenga territories, which reportedly involved the use of drones, sparking more displacement. Over the past two years, insecurity in the areas has cut off more than 165,000 people from regular assistance.

"OCHA expresses grave concern that ongoing violence in the two eastern provinces could hinder the response to the Ebola epidemic as well as ongoing humanitarian assistance," the office said.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said Friday that there have been Ebola cases reported in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

Ebola and the insecurity make humanitarian work, which is already challenging, even more complicated, he said.

OCHA said life-saving assistance continues wherever possible, despite the challenges. Since April, humanitarian partners have provided cash assistance to more than 8,000 people in Beni territory.

OCHA said the United Nations is calling on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and provide unimpeded, safe and sustained humanitarian access.

China's first homegrown eVTOL engine rolls off production line

China's advances in the low-altitude economy became manifest as its first domestically developed engine specifically for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft rolled off the production line.

The AEE25 aviation electric engine, developed by the AECC (Aero Engine Corporation of China) Aeroengine Control System Institute, was delivered in Wuxi City, east China's Jiangsu Province, on Friday, setting a national record for torque density, meaning a lighter engine that allows the aircraft to carry more passengers or cargo.

The achievement marks a major breakthrough in key aviation electric propulsion technologies, with the engine's performance reaching internationally advanced levels.

The AEE25 converts electrical energy from onboard batteries into lift and thrust for rotor systems. The engine has achieved a torque density of 40 newton-meters per kilogram, the highest among China's publicly disclosed 200-kW-class aviation electric engines.

The engine integrates six core components -- a main motor and its controller, a cooling system motor and its controller, and a variable-pitch actuator and its controller -- into one.

"This is a highly integrated product. For aircraft manufacturers, it can start to work after being installed with the propeller and connected to power and the bus, thus simplifying the aircraft design process. In addition, the engine is designed to be safe enough, with all motors designed in duplicate, and all controllers having two channels. In the event of any single-point failure, the power output can be guaranteed," said Liu Guoping, deputy director of the AECC institute.

The AEE25 will be installed on the E20 eVTOL aircraft developed by Shanghai TCab Technology Co., Ltd (TCab Tech). The engine has also entered the airworthiness certification process alongside the aircraft program.