A potential Ebola outbreak has been reported in the DRC, at a time when the Trump administration has paused communication with the WHO.

The UN says there are dead bodies on the streets and there are reports of rapes committed by fighters. More than 2,000km away in the Congolese capital Kinshasa, people are furious at the rebel assault. The country's neighbours - Uganda and Rwanda - have a long history of backing rebel groups in the east.

A rebel alliance claimed the capture of the biggest city in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mineral-rich eastern region this week, pushing back against resistance from government troops backed by regional and UN intervention forces.

Looting of humanitarian aid infrastructure has further hindered relief efforts, and thousands have fled their homes, adding to the growing refugee crisis.

Missiles are flying above civilians' homes as fighters fire heavy artillery in Goma's city centre, an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) spokesperson tells the BBC. "It is a very densely populated area... there are lots of victims in terms of civilians, Myriam Favier says.

Japan has sent the Democratic Republic of the Congo 50,000 doses of a vaccine against mpox, previously known as monkeypox.

We urge all parties to protect health and humanitarian staff, patients and health facilities,' says Tedros - Anadolu Ajansı

The latest reports from Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from UN teams on the ground indicate a fast-deteriorating situation on Tuesday amid an ongoing assault by M23 rebels on the provincial capital.

Advances being made by the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo are "heightening the threat of a regional war," according to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Situation in Goma particularly dire, with fighting damaging water and electricity systems, forcing residents to rely on unsafe sources like lake water, says emergency response coordinator - Anadolu Aj

The UN says there are dead bodies on the streets and there are reports of rapes committed by fighters. More than 2,000km away in the Congolese capital Kinshasa, people are furious at the rebel assault. The country's neighbours - Uganda and Rwanda - have a long history of backing rebel groups in the east.

Fighting between Rwanda-backed rebels and the Congolese army continued for a second day in Goma on Tuesday amid calls by African leaders for an immediate ceasefire.