Scores of people are reported dead in the ongoing political crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo and another separate gun battle between Congolese police and militia groups.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that clashes between police and a militia in the country’s northwestern Mongala province led to the death of 15 militiamen and three policemen. The militia is led by a Christian pastor.
The former deputy commissioner of Mongala, Michael Sakombi told Reuters that Police battled the militia loyal to the pastor from the Kimbanguist church on Tuesday, after he kidnapped numerous local residents, Michael Sakombi told Reuters.
Meanwhile the U.N. mission in Democratic Republic of Congo has announced that 19 deaths have been recorded as Congolese continue to protest against the President Joseph Kabila for refusing to step down from office.
45 injuries have also been confirmed all from gunshots during protests on Tuesday.
The head of the U.N. human rights office in Congo, Jose Maria Aranaz, told reporters in the capital Kinshasa that “We are very concerned by the excessive use of force by state agents, notably the (police), the Republican Guard, the military police and the National Agency of Intelligence,”
There are fears the political crisis could worsen in the coming days. The Roman Catholic Church has pleaded with DR Congo’s political leaders to find a solution to the current political deadlock before Christmas.
President Kabila’s tenure as president has ended but he has refused to step down before fresh elections are held.
Source: Africafeeds.com
