The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has accused Rwanda of supporting the resurgence of M23 rebels, a development that has renewed long-standing tensions between the neighbouring countries.

Fresh tensions brew between Rwanda & DR Congo

At least 60 people were killed in a militia attack early on Wednesday at a displaced persons` camp in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the head of a local humanitarian group and a camp resident.

Both sources told Reuters that the CODECO militia was responsible for the killings at about 0200 GMT at the Savo camp in Ituri province.

Ituri army spokesman Jules Ngongo confirmed the attack by CODECO and gave a provisional toll of about 20 dead.

Congolese troops came into contact with the militia Tuesday night but the assailants changed direction and got past them to reach the camp, he said.

CODECO is one of an array of militias operating in eastern Congo amid longstanding tensions over land and resources. Its fighters have killed hundreds of civilians in Ituri and forced thousands to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.

In recent months it has targeted displacement camps, where some people had settled after fleeing other attacks by CODECO.

"I first heard cries when I was still in bed. Then several minutes of gunshots. I fled and I saw torches and people crying for help and I realized it was the CODECO militiamen who had invaded our site," said Lokana Bale Lussa, a camp resident.

"We have counted more than 60 dead and (more) seriously injured," he said. "We really need security because we can`t access our farms and now we`re pursued even in our camps."

Charite Banza Bavi, president of the humanitarian group for the Bahema-North area, put the death toll at 63.

"Initial reports indicate that as many as 59 civilians were killed and a further 40 injured," the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said in a statement. Two students at a school supported by the NRC were among the dead, it added, and the assailants had used both guns and machetes.

Before Wednesday, the NRC said, about 68 people had been killed in attacks on five different camps in the same area since November.

CODECO`s fighters are drawn mainly from the Lendu farming community, which has long been in conflict with Hema herders.

The Savo displacement site is home to 24,000 people, among 1.7 million displaced in Ituri province, the NRC said. At least 1,200 civilians were killed in Ituri province in 2021.

At least 60 people were killed in a militia attack early on Wednesday at a displaced persons` camp in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the head of a local humanitarian group and a camp resident.

At least 60 people were killed in a militia attack early on Wednesday at a displaced persons` camp in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the head of a local humanitarian group and a camp resident. Both sources told Reuters that the CODECO militia was responsible for the killings at about 0200 GMT at the Savo camp in Ituri province. Ituri army spokesman Jules Ngongo confirmed the attack by CODECO and gave a provisional toll of about 20 dead. Congolese troops came into contact with the militia Tuesday night but the assailants changed direction and got past them to reach the camp, he said. CODECO is one of an array of militias operating in eastern Congo amid longstanding tensions over land and resources. Its fighters have killed hundreds of civilians in Ituri and forced thousands to flee their homes, according to the United Nations. In recent months it has targeted displacement camps, where some people had settled after fleeing other attacks by CODECO. "I first heard cries when I was still in bed. Then several minutes of gunshots. I fled and I saw torches and people crying for help and I realized it was the CODECO militiamen who had invaded our site," said Lokana Bale Lussa, a camp resident. "We have counted more than 60 dead and (more) seriously injured," he said. "We really need security because we can`t access our farms and now we`re pursued even in our camps." Charite Banza Bavi, president of the humanitarian group for the Bahema-North area, put the death toll at 63. "Initial reports indicate that as many as 59 civilians were killed and a further 40 injured," the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said in a statement. Two students at a school supported by the NRC were among the dead, it added, and the assailants had used both guns and machetes. Before Wednesday, the NRC said, about 68 people had been killed in attacks on five different camps in the same area since November. CODECO`s fighters are drawn mainly from the Lendu farming community, which has long been in conflict with Hema herders. The Savo displacement site is home to 24,000 people, among 1.7 million displaced in Ituri province, the NRC said. At least 1,200 civilians were killed in Ituri province in 2021.

At least 60 people killed in militia attack in eastern DR Congo

At least 6 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack at a restaurant and bar on Christmas day in the eastern Congolese town, where Islamic extremists are known to be active.

More than 30 people were celebrating Christmas in Beni when the bomb went off, two witnesses told AFP. According to reports, two children and women were among the dead.

Officials have blamed the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) for Saturday’s attack. The militia is one of the deadliest armed groups in the region and is claimed by the Islamic State&nbsp;group as its central Africa region.

The attack is the second suicide bombing incident that has taken place in eastern Congo this year. Earlier, the ADF forces claimed responsibility for the attack near another bar in Beni, which had caused no casualties.

Gen. Sylvain Ekenge, regional governor’s spokesperson, said that 14 people were injured in the blast.

“The suicide bomber, prevented by security guards from entering a crowded bar, activated the bomb at the entrance of the bar,” he said in a statement.

Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi said in a statement on Twitter that he "strongly condemns" the "odious" attack.

Beni, near the DRC’s eastern border with Uganda, has been the site of regular clashes between the Congolese army and the ADF.

In recent years, the town has also suffered an Ebola epidemic and has seen several smaller outbreaks of the disease.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least 6 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack at a restaurant and bar on Christmas day in the eastern Congolese town, where Islamic extremists are known to be active.

At least 6 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack at a restaurant and bar on Christmas day in the eastern Congolese town, where Islamic extremists are known to be active. More than 30 people were celebrating Christmas in Beni when the bomb went off, two witnesses told AFP. According to reports, two children and women were among the dead. Officials have blamed the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) for Saturday’s attack. The militia is one of the deadliest armed groups in the region and is claimed by the Islamic State group as its central Africa region. The attack is the second suicide bombing incident that has taken place in eastern Congo this year. Earlier, the ADF forces claimed responsibility for the attack near another bar in Beni, which had caused no casualties. Gen. Sylvain Ekenge, regional governor’s spokesperson, said that 14 people were injured in the blast. “The suicide bomber, prevented by security guards from entering a crowded bar, activated the bomb at the entrance of the bar,” he said in a statement. Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi said in a statement on Twitter that he "strongly condemns" the "odious" attack. Beni, near the DRC’s eastern border with Uganda, has been the site of regular clashes between the Congolese army and the ADF. In recent years, the town has also suffered an Ebola epidemic and has seen several smaller outbreaks of the disease. (With inputs from agencies)

At least 6 killed, 14 injured in Christmas Day bombing in east Congo

A record 27.3 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are facing acute hunger, one-third of the violence-wracked central African country's population, two UN agencies warned on Tuesday.

One in three people critically hungry in DR Congo, says UN

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reported 30 Ebola virus cases and 15 related deaths so far.

The Africa CDC, the specialised healthcare agency of the 55-member African Union, reported a fatality rate of 50 per cent in the two countries.

Official figures reported to the agency showed that the DRC had 12 cases and six deaths while Guinea had 18 cases and nine deaths, the Africa CDC said in a statement issued late Tuesday.

According to the Africa CDC, Guinea and DRC have so far reported eight Ebola virus recoveries, six and two, respectively.

Seven healthcare workers are amongst the confirmed cases, two in DRC and five in Guinea, according to the agency.

The Africa CDC, in its Ebola virus cross-border updates, indicated that between February 15 to March 12, some 18 Ebola virus-related alerts were reported in Sierra Leone.

It, however, stressed that all alerts were investigated and tested negative for the Ebola virus, as it emphasized that there are no confirmed Ebola cases from Sierra Leone so far.

Meanwhile, the agency called on all African countries to enhance their cross-border surveillance efforts by mapping population movements to identify all potential crossing points where there is risk of disease spread.

African countries have been urged to set up screening posts and conduct health screenings for travellers with signs of Ebola, as well as implement public health measures at border crossing points including temperature monitoring, and infection prevention and control measures.

It also called on AU members to continue performing contact tracing and follow up of all probable and confirmed cases, as well as enhance infection prevention and control measures in health care settings, health care workers protection and practice safe and dignified burial.

New outbreaks of the deadly Ebola virus disease in the two African countries are sending new jitters to Africa as the continent is still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola virus outbreak claimed over 11,300 lives, with over 28,600 recorded cases.

Ebola is a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever that causes a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, generalized pain or malaise and in many cases internal and external bleeding.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reported 30 Ebola virus cases and 15 related deaths so far.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reported 30 Ebola virus cases and 15 related deaths so far. The Africa CDC, the specialised healthcare agency of the 55-member African Union, reported a fatality rate of 50 per cent in the two countries. Official figures reported to the agency showed that the DRC had 12 cases and six deaths while Guinea had 18 cases and nine deaths, the Africa CDC said in a statement issued late Tuesday. According to the Africa CDC, Guinea and DRC have so far reported eight Ebola virus recoveries, six and two, respectively. Seven healthcare workers are amongst the confirmed cases, two in DRC and five in Guinea, according to the agency. The Africa CDC, in its Ebola virus cross-border updates, indicated that between February 15 to March 12, some 18 Ebola virus-related alerts were reported in Sierra Leone. It, however, stressed that all alerts were investigated and tested negative for the Ebola virus, as it emphasized that there are no confirmed Ebola cases from Sierra Leone so far. Meanwhile, the agency called on all African countries to enhance their cross-border surveillance efforts by mapping population movements to identify all potential crossing points where there is risk of disease spread. African countries have been urged to set up screening posts and conduct health screenings for travellers with signs of Ebola, as well as implement public health measures at border crossing points including temperature monitoring, and infection prevention and control measures. It also called on AU members to continue performing contact tracing and follow up of all probable and confirmed cases, as well as enhance infection prevention and control measures in health care settings, health care workers protection and practice safe and dignified burial. New outbreaks of the deadly Ebola virus disease in the two African countries are sending new jitters to Africa as the continent is still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola virus outbreak claimed over 11,300 lives, with over 28,600 recorded cases. Ebola is a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever that causes a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, generalized pain or malaise and in many cases internal and external bleeding.

Ebola infects 30, kills 15 in Guinea, DRC

At least 50 people are feared dead after a gold mine collapsed in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).The accident in the makeshift mine occurred on Friday following heavy rains in the town of Kamituga in South Kivu province.

At least 50 killed in gold mine collapse in Democratic Republic of Congo

Johnson & Johnson, the producer of a new vaccine aimed at protecting people against the Ebola virus, announced on Sunday it would be providing 200,000 Ebola vaccines to Rwanda to stop the virus spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Vaccination programme begins to stop Ebola spread

Rwanda has shut its frontier with the Ebola-hit Democratic Republic of Congo after a third case of the deadly virus was detected in the border city of Goma, the Congolese presidency said Thursday.

In a statement, it said there had been a "unilateral decision by the Rwandan authorities" that affected citizens from both countries who had to cross the border as part of their daily life.

Goma, a city of two million people and a major transport hub, shares the border with the Rwandan city of Gisenyi, which has a population of more than 85,000.

Cross-frontier links are intense. Many people have jobs on the other side of the border while others have homes or put their children in schools in the neighbouring city.

"On the basis of a unilateral decision by the Rwandan authorities, Rwandan citizens cannot go to Goma and Congolese cannot leave Gisenyi but are prevented from going home," the statement said.

"This decision harms a number of Congolese and expatriates who live in Gisenyi but work in Goma."

The announcement came just hours after the third case of Ebola was recorded in Goma, widening the scope of the epidemic on its first anniversary.

Since August 1 2018, 1,803 lives have been lost in the second-worst outbreak of Ebola on record, according to figures released Wednesday.&nbsp;

Two of the three cases in Goma have died, sparking a race to find people who have had contact with these patients.

Health experts fear outbreaks of contagious diseases in major cities.

In an urban setting, the density of population, anonymity and high mobility make it far harder to isolate patients and trace contacts compared to the countryside.

Rwanda has shut its frontier with the Ebola-hit Democratic Republic of Congo after a third case of the deadly virus was detected in the border city of Goma, the Congolese presidency said Thursday.

Rwanda has shut its frontier with the Ebola-hit Democratic Republic of Congo after a third case of the deadly virus was detected in the border city of Goma, the Congolese presidency said Thursday. In a statement, it said there had been a "unilateral decision by the Rwandan authorities" that affected citizens from both countries who had to cross the border as part of their daily life. Goma, a city of two million people and a major transport hub, shares the border with the Rwandan city of Gisenyi, which has a population of more than 85,000. Cross-frontier links are intense. Many people have jobs on the other side of the border while others have homes or put their children in schools in the neighbouring city. "On the basis of a unilateral decision by the Rwandan authorities, Rwandan citizens cannot go to Goma and Congolese cannot leave Gisenyi but are prevented from going home," the statement said. "This decision harms a number of Congolese and expatriates who live in Gisenyi but work in Goma." The announcement came just hours after the third case of Ebola was recorded in Goma, widening the scope of the epidemic on its first anniversary. Since August 1 2018, 1,803 lives have been lost in the second-worst outbreak of Ebola on record, according to figures released Wednesday. Two of the three cases in Goma have died, sparking a race to find people who have had contact with these patients. Health experts fear outbreaks of contagious diseases in major cities. In an urban setting, the density of population, anonymity and high mobility make it far harder to isolate patients and trace contacts compared to the countryside.

Rwanda seals Congo border after third Ebola case in Goma

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is staring at hunger crisis says the World Food Programme. According to World Food Programme, about 13 million congolese are food insecure.

Congo: 5.8 million children & women suffer from acute malnutrition

Three cases of Ebola have emerged in Uganda, a neighbouring country to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), officials said on Wednesday (June 12).

New Ebola cases in Uganda raise fears of further spread

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/opposition-leader-felix-tshisekedi-declared-winner-in-dr-congo-presidential-election-189319">Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi</a> was on Thursday declared winner of DR Congo's presidential election, but his victory was dismissed by the runner-up and questioned by the Catholic church, clouding the vote's legitimacy and hopes of peace.

In a pre-dawn announcement, election officials named Tshisekedi, son of the country's long-term opposition leader, provisional winner of the troubled vote to replace President Joseph Kabila.&nbsp;

The news brought thousands of supporters onto the streets while others who had backed his opposition rival Martin Fayulu came out in protest. Four people died in unrest.

Fayulu, who came a close second, denounced the result as an "electoral coup". The Democratic Republic of Congo's influential Catholic church also said Tshisekedi's victory did not tally with data collected by its own monitors.&nbsp;

"These results have nothing to do with the truth at the ballot box," Fayulu told Radio France International.&nbsp;

"They have stolen the Congolese people's victory and the people will never accept that."

At stake is political stewardship of the notoriously unstable central African nation, which has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

Election chief Corneille Nangaa declared Tshisekedi the winner with 38.57 per cent of the 30 December vote, just ahead of Fayulu with 34.8 per cent.&nbsp;

Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, came a distant third with 23.8 per cent.

Results of parliamentary elections, which were held alongside the presidential vote, are expected on Friday evening and the pro-Kabila majority are already claiming to have won the house.

The last two elections in 2006 and 2011, both of which were won by Kabila, were marred by bloodshed, and many fear a repeat of the violence if the result lacks credibility.&nbsp; 
Two civilians and two policemen were killed Thursday and another 10 people injured when a protest erupted in the western city of Kikwit, a Fayulu stronghold, police said.&nbsp;

Wild celebrations

In Kinshasa, thousands of people converged upon the headquarters of Tshisekedi's Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the country's oldest and largest opposition party, singing and dancing at his surprise victory.&nbsp;

Pouring onto the streets, they celebrated wildly, cheering and honking car horns in scenes of joy that lasted into the morning under the bemused eye of the security forces who had fanned out across the capital.&nbsp;

In his first remarks after the result, the portly 55-year-old, who has never held high office or even a managerial role, immediately pledged to work closely with Kabila.&nbsp;

"Today we should no longer see him as an adversary, but rather as a partner for democratic change in our country," he told supporters.

But elsewhere in Kinshasa, the mood was sombre, with representatives of the Catholic church openly disputing the figures released by the Independent National Election Commission (CENI).

"The result of the presidential election as published by CENI does not correspond with the data collected by our observer mission from polling stations and counting centres," said Father Donatien Nshole, spokesman for CENCO, which represents the country's Catholic bishops.

The Church has long been pressing for the departure of Kabila, who has ruled the country with an iron fist since 2001, well beyond the limit of his second and final term in December 2016.

Calls for calm

Abroad, the mood was watchful, marked by a noticeable lack of congratulations for Tshisekedi.&nbsp;

Many have eyed the developments in sub-Saharan Africa's largest country with concern, with the United Nations leading calls to avoid violence.&nbsp;

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian dismissed Tshisekedi's victory as "not consistent" with the actual results, indicating that Fayulu had won, while the US State Department demanded "clarification" over the result and urged "all stakeholders to remain calm".

The African Union said it "took note" of the result and warned any dispute over the outcome should be "resolved peacefully".

The European Union said it was awaiting clarification from international observers.&nbsp;

In contrast, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged "all regional and international interested parties to refrain from speculation" and let the election board complete its work. &nbsp;

The announcement of an opposition win was a shock as many had expected the results to be stacked in Shadary's favour, prompting heavy international pressure on Kinshasa to respect the wishes of the electorate.&nbsp;

'Tshisekedi debt to Kabila'

The vast central African country has been increasingly on edge over the long-delayed vote. &nbsp;

Kabila's hold on power has sparked a political crisis and protests that were bloodily repressed.&nbsp;

"Kabila did not want to risk announcing Shadary as the winner, which would have triggered violent protests and international condemnation," said Robert Besseling, executive director of risk consultancy EXX Africa.

"Instead, he chose to split the opposition by creating a power-sharing deal with Tshisekedi."

Tshisekedi "owes his ascendancy to power to Kabila's control of the electoral commission", and in exchange Kabila would look for immunity from any prosecution or asset seizure after handing over power, Besseling said.

Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi was on Thursday declared winner of DR Congo's presidential election, but his victory was dismissed by the runner-up and questioned by the Catholic church, clouding the vote's legitimacy and hopes of peace.

Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi was on Thursday declared winner of DR Congo's presidential election, but his victory was dismissed by the runner-up and questioned by the Catholic church, clouding the vote's legitimacy and hopes of peace. In a pre-dawn announcement, election officials named Tshisekedi, son of the country's long-term opposition leader, provisional winner of the troubled vote to replace President Joseph Kabila. The news brought thousands of supporters onto the streets while others who had backed his opposition rival Martin Fayulu came out in protest. Four people died in unrest. Fayulu, who came a close second, denounced the result as an "electoral coup". The Democratic Republic of Congo's influential Catholic church also said Tshisekedi's victory did not tally with data collected by its own monitors. "These results have nothing to do with the truth at the ballot box," Fayulu told Radio France International. "They have stolen the Congolese people's victory and the people will never accept that." At stake is political stewardship of the notoriously unstable central African nation, which has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. Election chief Corneille Nangaa declared Tshisekedi the winner with 38.57 per cent of the 30 December vote, just ahead of Fayulu with 34.8 per cent. Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, came a distant third with 23.8 per cent. Results of parliamentary elections, which were held alongside the presidential vote, are expected on Friday evening and the pro-Kabila majority are already claiming to have won the house. The last two elections in 2006 and 2011, both of which were won by Kabila, were marred by bloodshed, and many fear a repeat of the violence if the result lacks credibility. Two civilians and two policemen were killed Thursday and another 10 people injured when a protest erupted in the western city of Kikwit, a Fayulu stronghold, police said. Wild celebrations In Kinshasa, thousands of people converged upon the headquarters of Tshisekedi's Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the country's oldest and largest opposition party, singing and dancing at his surprise victory. Pouring onto the streets, they celebrated wildly, cheering and honking car horns in scenes of joy that lasted into the morning under the bemused eye of the security forces who had fanned out across the capital. In his first remarks after the result, the portly 55-year-old, who has never held high office or even a managerial role, immediately pledged to work closely with Kabila. "Today we should no longer see him as an adversary, but rather as a partner for democratic change in our country," he told supporters. But elsewhere in Kinshasa, the mood was sombre, with representatives of the Catholic church openly disputing the figures released by the Independent National Election Commission (CENI). "The result of the presidential election as published by CENI does not correspond with the data collected by our observer mission from polling stations and counting centres," said Father Donatien Nshole, spokesman for CENCO, which represents the country's Catholic bishops. The Church has long been pressing for the departure of Kabila, who has ruled the country with an iron fist since 2001, well beyond the limit of his second and final term in December 2016. Calls for calm Abroad, the mood was watchful, marked by a noticeable lack of congratulations for Tshisekedi. Many have eyed the developments in sub-Saharan Africa's largest country with concern, with the United Nations leading calls to avoid violence. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian dismissed Tshisekedi's victory as "not consistent" with the actual results, indicating that Fayulu had won, while the US State Department demanded "clarification" over the result and urged "all stakeholders to remain calm". The African Union said it "took note" of the result and warned any dispute over the outcome should be "resolved peacefully". The European Union said it was awaiting clarification from international observers. In contrast, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged "all regional and international interested parties to refrain from speculation" and let the election board complete its work. The announcement of an opposition win was a shock as many had expected the results to be stacked in Shadary's favour, prompting heavy international pressure on Kinshasa to respect the wishes of the electorate. 'Tshisekedi debt to Kabila' The vast central African country has been increasingly on edge over the long-delayed vote. Kabila's hold on power has sparked a political crisis and protests that were bloodily repressed. "Kabila did not want to risk announcing Shadary as the winner, which would have triggered violent protests and international condemnation," said Robert Besseling, executive director of risk consultancy EXX Africa. "Instead, he chose to split the opposition by creating a power-sharing deal with Tshisekedi." Tshisekedi "owes his ascendancy to power to Kabila's control of the electoral commission", and in exchange Kabila would look for immunity from any prosecution or asset seizure after handing over power, Besseling said.

Church, rival cry foul as opposition chief wins vote in DR Congo

The long-awaited announcement of the results of last week's DR Congo presidential election promised for Sunday will be postponed to next week, the head of the electoral commission told AFP.

"It is not possible to publish the results on Sunday. We are making progress, but we do not have everything yet," said commission president Corneille Nangaa. An exact new date has not been announced.

&nbsp;

The long-awaited announcement of the results of last week's DR Congo presidential election promised for Sunday will be postponed to next week, the head of the electoral commission told AFP.

The long-awaited announcement of the results of last week's DR Congo presidential election promised for Sunday will be postponed to next week, the head of the electoral commission told AFP. "It is not possible to publish the results on Sunday. We are making progress, but we do not have everything yet," said commission president Corneille Nangaa. An exact new date has not been announced.

DRC election results delayed until 'next week': Electoral commission

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/congo-heads-to-the-polls-for-tense-long-delayed-presidential-vote-187294">Voters in the Democratic Republic of Congo </a>went to the polls on Sunday in elections that will shape the future of their vast, troubled country, amid fears that violence could overshadow the ballot.

Millions of electors are choosing a successor to President Joseph Kabila, who is stepping down two years after his term limit expired — a delay that sparked bloody clashes and revived traumatic memories of past turmoil.

The vote gives DR Congo the chance of its first peaceful transfer of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960.

But analysts say the threat of violence is great, given the many organisational problems and wide-ranging suspicion of Kabila.

The election's credibility has already been strained by repeated delays, the risk of hitches on polling day and accusations that electronic voting machines will produce a rigged result.

On the eve of the vote, talks between key candidates to avert post-election violence broke down.

Opposition frontrunners Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi refused Saturday to sign a proposed peace pledge, saying election officials had failed to make suggested changes to the text.

The announcement came after the pair had met with the&nbsp; 
Independent National Election Commission (CENI) as well as Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary.

The UN, the United States and Europe have loudly appealed for the elections to be free, fair and peaceful — a call echoed on Wednesday by the presidents of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and the neighbouring Republic of Congo.

Polling stations opened in the east of the country a little after their scheduled time of 0400 GMT and an hour later in Kinshasa and the west.

Kabila voted in the capital along with his family, just minutes before Shadary also cast his ballot in the same polling station.

"I feel liberated, freed," said Victor Balibwa, a 53-year-old civil servant and one of the first voters to cast his ballot in Lubumbashi, the country's mining capital in the southeast.

"I'm excited to vote, to be able to choose at last. It's my first election," an 18-year-old student named Rachel told AFP in the eastern city of Goma, an opposition stronghold.

Some polling stations opened late in Goma and elsewhere.

In one, electoral officials were still adjusting voting machines and in another, a technician needed to restart a machine that had broken down, an AFP reporter saw.

The last polls are due to close at 1600 GMT. Provisional results are due on January 6.

Twenty-one candidates are contending the presidential election, which is taking place simultaneously with ballots for the national legislature and municipal bodies.

The frontrunners include Kabila's champion Shadary, a hardline former interior minister facing EU sanctions for a crackdown on protesters.

His biggest rivals are Fayulu, until recently a little-known legislator and former oil executive, and Tshisekedi, head of a veteran opposition party, the UDPS.

If the elections are "free and fair," an opposition candidate will almost certainly win, according to Jason Stearns of the Congo Research Group, based at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University.

Opinion polls indicate Fayulu is a clear favourite, garnering around 44 per cent of voting intentions, followed by 24 per cent for Tshisekedi and 18 per cent for Shadary, he said.

However, "the potential for violence is extremely high," Stearns warned.

Between 43 and 63 per cent of respondents said they would not accept the results if Shadary is declared the winner, he said.

And between 43 per cent and 53 per cent said they did not trust DRC's courts to settle any election dispute fairly. However, Kabila said he was confident "everything will go well on Sunday".

"I want to reassure our people that measures have been taken with the government to guarantee the safety of all sides, candidates, voters and observers alike," he said in his end-of-year address broadcast Saturday.

Eighty times the size of its former colonial master Belgium, the DRC covers 2.3 million square kilometres in the middle of Africa, behind only Algeria in the area on the continent.

Gold, uranium, copper, cobalt and other riches are extracted from its soil, but little of that wealth comes down to the poor.

In the last 22 years, the country has twice been a battleground for wars drawing in armies from around central and southern Africa.

The legacy of that era endures today in the DRC's eastern border region, where ruthless militias have carried out hundreds of killings.

Insecurity and an ongoing Ebola epidemic in part of North Kivu province, and communal violence in Yumbi, in the southwest of the country, prompted the authorities to postpone the elections there until March.

Kabila said the vote would take place "as soon as the situation allows it".

Around 1.25 million people, out of a national electoral roll of 40 million, are affected.

No explanation has been offered as to whether or how the delayed vote will affect the official outcome, and legal experts say the postponement is unconstitutional.&nbsp;

Voters in the Democratic Republic of Congo went to the polls on Sunday in elections that will shape the future of their vast, troubled country, amid fears that violence could overshadow the ballot.

Voters in the Democratic Republic of Congo went to the polls on Sunday in elections that will shape the future of their vast, troubled country, amid fears that violence could overshadow the ballot. Millions of electors are choosing a successor to President Joseph Kabila, who is stepping down two years after his term limit expired — a delay that sparked bloody clashes and revived traumatic memories of past turmoil. The vote gives DR Congo the chance of its first peaceful transfer of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. But analysts say the threat of violence is great, given the many organisational problems and wide-ranging suspicion of Kabila. The election's credibility has already been strained by repeated delays, the risk of hitches on polling day and accusations that electronic voting machines will produce a rigged result. On the eve of the vote, talks between key candidates to avert post-election violence broke down. Opposition frontrunners Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi refused Saturday to sign a proposed peace pledge, saying election officials had failed to make suggested changes to the text. The announcement came after the pair had met with the Independent National Election Commission (CENI) as well as Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. The UN, the United States and Europe have loudly appealed for the elections to be free, fair and peaceful — a call echoed on Wednesday by the presidents of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and the neighbouring Republic of Congo. Polling stations opened in the east of the country a little after their scheduled time of 0400 GMT and an hour later in Kinshasa and the west. Kabila voted in the capital along with his family, just minutes before Shadary also cast his ballot in the same polling station. "I feel liberated, freed," said Victor Balibwa, a 53-year-old civil servant and one of the first voters to cast his ballot in Lubumbashi, the country's mining capital in the southeast. "I'm excited to vote, to be able to choose at last. It's my first election," an 18-year-old student named Rachel told AFP in the eastern city of Goma, an opposition stronghold. Some polling stations opened late in Goma and elsewhere. In one, electoral officials were still adjusting voting machines and in another, a technician needed to restart a machine that had broken down, an AFP reporter saw. The last polls are due to close at 1600 GMT. Provisional results are due on January 6. Twenty-one candidates are contending the presidential election, which is taking place simultaneously with ballots for the national legislature and municipal bodies. The frontrunners include Kabila's champion Shadary, a hardline former interior minister facing EU sanctions for a crackdown on protesters. His biggest rivals are Fayulu, until recently a little-known legislator and former oil executive, and Tshisekedi, head of a veteran opposition party, the UDPS. If the elections are "free and fair," an opposition candidate will almost certainly win, according to Jason Stearns of the Congo Research Group, based at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University. Opinion polls indicate Fayulu is a clear favourite, garnering around 44 per cent of voting intentions, followed by 24 per cent for Tshisekedi and 18 per cent for Shadary, he said. However, "the potential for violence is extremely high," Stearns warned. Between 43 and 63 per cent of respondents said they would not accept the results if Shadary is declared the winner, he said. And between 43 per cent and 53 per cent said they did not trust DRC's courts to settle any election dispute fairly. However, Kabila said he was confident "everything will go well on Sunday". "I want to reassure our people that measures have been taken with the government to guarantee the safety of all sides, candidates, voters and observers alike," he said in his end-of-year address broadcast Saturday. Eighty times the size of its former colonial master Belgium, the DRC covers 2.3 million square kilometres in the middle of Africa, behind only Algeria in the area on the continent. Gold, uranium, copper, cobalt and other riches are extracted from its soil, but little of that wealth comes down to the poor. In the last 22 years, the country has twice been a battleground for wars drawing in armies from around central and southern Africa. The legacy of that era endures today in the DRC's eastern border region, where ruthless militias have carried out hundreds of killings. Insecurity and an ongoing Ebola epidemic in part of North Kivu province, and communal violence in Yumbi, in the southwest of the country, prompted the authorities to postpone the elections there until March. Kabila said the vote would take place "as soon as the situation allows it". Around 1.25 million people, out of a national electoral roll of 40 million, are affected. No explanation has been offered as to whether or how the delayed vote will affect the official outcome, and legal experts say the postponement is unconstitutional.

DR Congo goes to polls after troubled odyssey

The World Health Organization chief warned Friday that growing unrest in the eastern <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/dr-congo-giant-weakened-by-violence-and-poverty-187058">Democratic Republic of Congo </a>was disrupting efforts to rein in an Ebola outbreak, threatening gains made in fighting the deadly virus.

The security situation in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-tops-200-in-dr-congo-ebola-outbreak-176592">Ebola-hit Beni and Butembo areas </a>has deteriorated since Thursday morning as protests erupted against further delays to DRC's election. This has complicated efforts to provide vaccinations and track down people who may have been infected, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.

Some 20 people suspected of having contracted Ebola fled a transit centre where they were being monitored in the Beni region, the epicentre of this latest outbreak of the highly infectious and potentially fatal disease, according to the country's health ministry.

The incident followed the announcement that elections planned for Sunday in the region had once again been postponed because of local unrest, as well as the Ebola outbreak.

Tedros said that the UN agency and its partners were continuing to respond to the Ebola outbreak in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

But "yesterday our teams in Beni were unable to carry out critical field work, including vaccinations, contact tracing, and following up on alerts of potential new cases," he said.

And in Butembo, "some alerts of potential cases were investigated and confirmed cases were referred to treatment centres but teams were unable to trace contacts or to conduct vaccinations."

'Tragedy'&nbsp;

Tedros stressed that response activities had not been interrupted in other affected areas.

He pointed out that after an intensification of field activities, "we were seeing hopeful signs in many areas, including a recent decrease in cases in Beni."

But he warned that "these gains could be lost if we suffer a period of prolonged insecurity, resulting in increased transmission."

"That would be a tragedy for the local population, who have already suffered too much," Tedros said.

He said the WHO teams in Beni and Butembo were doing "everything possible" to continue responding to the outbreak, and that WHO hoped to "return to full operations as soon as possible while remaining committed to ensuring the safety of all staff deployed.

He asked everyone to "protect health facilities and provide access for responders to the affected populations so that we can stop this outbreak."

"We cannot afford to take a step back at this critical point in the response," he said.

Kigali declared the Ebola epidemic last August, and it has already claimed 357 lives.&nbsp;

There is great concern that the disease could spread to other major towns in the region, such as Goma and Kisangani and even neighbouring Uganda.

On Wednesday, the country's electoral commission cited the unrest in the region and the Ebola outbreak as the reasons it was further postponing national elections there.

However, the vote will continue to take place in the rest of the country as scheduled on December 30, and the next president will be sworn in on January 18, the commission said.

The World Health Organization chief warned Friday that growing unrest in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo was disrupting efforts to rein in an Ebola outbreak, threatening gains made in fighting the deadly virus.

The World Health Organization chief warned Friday that growing unrest in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo was disrupting efforts to rein in an Ebola outbreak, threatening gains made in fighting the deadly virus. The security situation in the Ebola-hit Beni and Butembo areas has deteriorated since Thursday morning as protests erupted against further delays to DRC's election. This has complicated efforts to provide vaccinations and track down people who may have been infected, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. Some 20 people suspected of having contracted Ebola fled a transit centre where they were being monitored in the Beni region, the epicentre of this latest outbreak of the highly infectious and potentially fatal disease, according to the country's health ministry. The incident followed the announcement that elections planned for Sunday in the region had once again been postponed because of local unrest, as well as the Ebola outbreak. Tedros said that the UN agency and its partners were continuing to respond to the Ebola outbreak in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces. But "yesterday our teams in Beni were unable to carry out critical field work, including vaccinations, contact tracing, and following up on alerts of potential new cases," he said. And in Butembo, "some alerts of potential cases were investigated and confirmed cases were referred to treatment centres but teams were unable to trace contacts or to conduct vaccinations." 'Tragedy' Tedros stressed that response activities had not been interrupted in other affected areas. He pointed out that after an intensification of field activities, "we were seeing hopeful signs in many areas, including a recent decrease in cases in Beni." But he warned that "these gains could be lost if we suffer a period of prolonged insecurity, resulting in increased transmission." "That would be a tragedy for the local population, who have already suffered too much," Tedros said. He said the WHO teams in Beni and Butembo were doing "everything possible" to continue responding to the outbreak, and that WHO hoped to "return to full operations as soon as possible while remaining committed to ensuring the safety of all staff deployed. He asked everyone to "protect health facilities and provide access for responders to the affected populations so that we can stop this outbreak." "We cannot afford to take a step back at this critical point in the response," he said. Kigali declared the Ebola epidemic last August, and it has already claimed 357 lives. There is great concern that the disease could spread to other major towns in the region, such as Goma and Kisangani and even neighbouring Uganda. On Wednesday, the country's electoral commission cited the unrest in the region and the Ebola outbreak as the reasons it was further postponing national elections there. However, the vote will continue to take place in the rest of the country as scheduled on December 30, and the next president will be sworn in on January 18, the commission said.

WHO chief warns DR Congo unrest threatening gains in Ebola fight

From the countries who share the Democratic Republic of Congo's vast border — some of which stirred its devastating conflicts — to international powers invested in peace efforts, the impact of upcoming elections looks set to reverberate far and wide.

Here are some of the implications of the DR Congo's crucial December 23 vote to replace President Joseph Kabila, for nations in the intertwined region and the international community working in the resource-rich country.

Ashes from a regional fire

It has been over a decade since Kinshasa's neighbours fought Africa's "Great War" on its soil, but from across its borders they still jealously guard their interests in the troubled nation.&nbsp;

The current regime in the DRC is the direct result of its neighbours' interventions in two conflicts between 1996 and 2003 that drew in troops from up to seven African countries and left millions dead.

The regional fire was lit by the 1994 Rwandan genocide, as some two million mostly Hutu refugees including those who led the massacres, flooded into eastern Congo.&nbsp;

Rebels used their camps as a new base from which to stage attacks in Rwanda, prompting Kigali to invade the DRC.&nbsp;

Rwanda also, with the help of Uganda, backed a Congolese rebellion which led to the overthrow of strongman Mobutu Sese Seko and saw Laurent-Desire Kabila become president in 1997.

Barely a year later a second conflict began.

Kabila turned his back on his Rwandan and Ugandan allies who then invaded the country again and fought Congolese troops backed by troops from Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Chad. Burundi also carried out limited operations, while Libya and Sudan offered support to Kinshasa.&nbsp;

Kabila was assassinated in 2001 and his son Joseph Kabila became president.

In the years since, the DRC has maintained complex ties with its neighbours, marked by mistrust and the plundering of its considerable natural resources.

"The development of mineral riches, controlled by powerful Congolese, Rwandan and Ugandan interests, is growing and thriving" in the restive east of the country, said Andre Guichaoua, a professor at the Paris-Sorbonne University.

'Co-managed destabilisation'

While the resource extraction continues, those involved have increasingly begun to work side by side.

"Over the course of time, in the eastern Congo, the different networks plundering resources who were rivals, realised that they could all get along without fighting to the death," said Thierry Vircoulon, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI).

He said the disappearance of clearly "Rwanda-backed" rebel groups believed to have been deployed to protect these mineral interests — such as CNDP in the 2000s or M23 in the early 2010s — is evidence of this cohabitation.

Guichaoua described the situation in the east as a "co-managed destabilisation".

Gold, diamonds and oil

In its June 2018 report, the UN Security Council's group of experts on the DRC said that "a large part of the gold sold by Uganda and Rwanda was illegally extracted from neighbouring countries, including the DRC".

In Angola, the government of President Joao Lourenco has pushed for the holding of elections, and for Kabila not to be a candidate.

Luanda is keen to protect its offshore oil interests — which Kinshasa argues are in its waters — and resume control of diamond mining in the north.

Some 400,000 Congolese miners were recently expelled or fled Angola after a massive operation against diamond smuggling.

Firming friendships

Further to the south, Burundi and Tanzania have better relations with Kinshasa, based on similar ideological views and other common interests.

Kinshasa and Bujumbura signed a cooperation deal to fight the Burundian opposition which sought refuge in South-Kivu after a political crisis broke out in the country in 2015.

And in Tanzania, where the Kabila clan lived in exile before taking power and still has financial interests, President John Magufuli's African nationalist views echo those of his counterpart in Kinshasa.

International community snubbed

The United Nations has been present in DRC for 20 years, and its MONUSCO peacekeeping force is one of the biggest in the world.

However in the name of "national sovereignty," Kinshasa has refused any logistical or financial assistance from the international community, as well as the presence of any western observers.

Kinshasa has even refused the assistance of MONUSCO aviation in transporting electoral material across the country of 2.3 million square kilometres (890,000 square miles), which has only 3,400 kilometres of paved roads.

"We are not a country of beggars," said President Joseph Kabila.

Only 200 African observers are being allowed to observe voting in 80,000 polling stations available to the 40 million registered voters.

From the countries who share the Democratic Republic of Congo's vast border — some of which stirred its devastating conflicts — to international powers invested in peace efforts, the impact of upcoming elections looks set to reverberate far and wide.

From the countries who share the Democratic Republic of Congo's vast border — some of which stirred its devastating conflicts — to international powers invested in peace efforts, the impact of upcoming elections looks set to reverberate far and wide. Here are some of the implications of the DR Congo's crucial December 23 vote to replace President Joseph Kabila, for nations in the intertwined region and the international community working in the resource-rich country. Ashes from a regional fire It has been over a decade since Kinshasa's neighbours fought Africa's "Great War" on its soil, but from across its borders they still jealously guard their interests in the troubled nation. The current regime in the DRC is the direct result of its neighbours' interventions in two conflicts between 1996 and 2003 that drew in troops from up to seven African countries and left millions dead. The regional fire was lit by the 1994 Rwandan genocide, as some two million mostly Hutu refugees including those who led the massacres, flooded into eastern Congo. Rebels used their camps as a new base from which to stage attacks in Rwanda, prompting Kigali to invade the DRC. Rwanda also, with the help of Uganda, backed a Congolese rebellion which led to the overthrow of strongman Mobutu Sese Seko and saw Laurent-Desire Kabila become president in 1997. Barely a year later a second conflict began. Kabila turned his back on his Rwandan and Ugandan allies who then invaded the country again and fought Congolese troops backed by troops from Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Chad. Burundi also carried out limited operations, while Libya and Sudan offered support to Kinshasa. Kabila was assassinated in 2001 and his son Joseph Kabila became president. In the years since, the DRC has maintained complex ties with its neighbours, marked by mistrust and the plundering of its considerable natural resources. "The development of mineral riches, controlled by powerful Congolese, Rwandan and Ugandan interests, is growing and thriving" in the restive east of the country, said Andre Guichaoua, a professor at the Paris-Sorbonne University. 'Co-managed destabilisation' While the resource extraction continues, those involved have increasingly begun to work side by side. "Over the course of time, in the eastern Congo, the different networks plundering resources who were rivals, realised that they could all get along without fighting to the death," said Thierry Vircoulon, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI). He said the disappearance of clearly "Rwanda-backed" rebel groups believed to have been deployed to protect these mineral interests — such as CNDP in the 2000s or M23 in the early 2010s — is evidence of this cohabitation. Guichaoua described the situation in the east as a "co-managed destabilisation". Gold, diamonds and oil In its June 2018 report, the UN Security Council's group of experts on the DRC said that "a large part of the gold sold by Uganda and Rwanda was illegally extracted from neighbouring countries, including the DRC". In Angola, the government of President Joao Lourenco has pushed for the holding of elections, and for Kabila not to be a candidate. Luanda is keen to protect its offshore oil interests — which Kinshasa argues are in its waters — and resume control of diamond mining in the north. Some 400,000 Congolese miners were recently expelled or fled Angola after a massive operation against diamond smuggling. Firming friendships Further to the south, Burundi and Tanzania have better relations with Kinshasa, based on similar ideological views and other common interests. Kinshasa and Bujumbura signed a cooperation deal to fight the Burundian opposition which sought refuge in South-Kivu after a political crisis broke out in the country in 2015. And in Tanzania, where the Kabila clan lived in exile before taking power and still has financial interests, President John Magufuli's African nationalist views echo those of his counterpart in Kinshasa. International community snubbed The United Nations has been present in DRC for 20 years, and its MONUSCO peacekeeping force is one of the biggest in the world. However in the name of "national sovereignty," Kinshasa has refused any logistical or financial assistance from the international community, as well as the presence of any western observers. Kinshasa has even refused the assistance of MONUSCO aviation in transporting electoral material across the country of 2.3 million square kilometres (890,000 square miles), which has only 3,400 kilometres of paved roads. "We are not a country of beggars," said President Joseph Kabila. Only 200 African observers are being allowed to observe voting in 80,000 polling stations available to the 40 million registered voters.

High stakes for friends and foes as DRC heads to polls

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