Three pro-Kabila activists killed in DR Congo
The members of outgoing President Joseph Kabila's People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy had been recruiting supporters in the troubled central province of Kasai ahead of the December 23 election. AFP PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Ensuing clashes with government forces led to more than 3,000 deaths and displaced more than a million people, according to UN figures.
- Among the dead were two UN experts who were investigating reports of dozens of mass graves in the region.
Three political activists have been killed while canvassing for DR Congo's pro-government presidential candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, family and party members said Wednesday.
The members of outgoing President Joseph Kabila's People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy had been recruiting supporters in the troubled central province of Kasai ahead of the December 23 election, the son of one of the victims told AFP.
They were wearing T-shirts emblazoned with a likeness of Shadary and the party logo, he said.
He and party sources said local villagers had reported that the three were beheaded.
However, the son said: "After we received the report we went to the town of Kabeya Lumbu to look for the bodies but without success. The villagers confirmed to us that they had been killed."
The date of the killings, initially given by the family and party as Saturday, was unclear.
Kasai tipped into violence in 2016 after soldiers killed a tribal chieftain leading a rebellion against the central government.
Ensuing clashes with government forces led to more than 3,000 deaths and displaced more than a million people, according to UN figures.
Among the dead were two UN experts who were investigating reports of dozens of mass graves in the region.
