Accessibility links

Breaking News

Rights Group Says Congo Police Kill 51 in Gang Sweep


An international human rights group says that police in the Democratic Republic of Congo have executed dozens of people in an anti-gang operation.

Human Rights Watch says police in the capital, Kinshasa, killed at least 51 mostly unarmed young men outside of their homes or in markets to intimidate the population.

It says police also are responsible for the disappearance of at least 33 others.

The report, released Tuesday, is based on witness testimony into the police "Operation Likofi" which was launched last November to decrease criminal gangs in the capital.

The rights group urged that the commander of the operation be suspended and that a judicial investigation be launched to prosecute those responsible.

Congo's government could not immediately be reached for comment.

  • 16x9 Image

    VOA News

    The Voice of America provides news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of over 326 million people. Stories with the VOA News byline are the work of multiple VOA journalists and may contain information from wire service reports.

XS
SM
MD
LG