Today’s news / DRCongo
UN peacekeepers outside Goma in eastern DRC. In recent years, there have been several major protests against the UN force, which is accused of doing too little to curb violence in the region. Photo: Glody Murhabazi/archive/Ritzau Scanpix

DRCongo

At least 48 people have been killed in clashes in eastern DRC, according to local sources and official documents. Congolese army soldiers cracked down on members of a religious sect on Wednesday who wanted to demonstrate against UN peacekeepers in the city of Goma. About 10 people were initially reported killed, including a policeman who was lynched by sect members. But an internal army document obtained by AFP shows that 48 were killed in addition to the policeman. 75 have been injured. A number of knives were confiscated, and among the 168 arrested is the leader of the religious sect. The UN peacekeeping mission in the region is one of the largest and most expensive in the world. Militias have been waging wars in the region since the 1990s, spreading terror among the population. The UN is facing sharp criticism in DRC. Many see the international force as passive and incapable of stopping conflicts. /ritzau/AFP/