Democratic Republic of the Congo – Fighting in the west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has left at least sixty-eight people dead and the numbers could be much higher according to a UN report leaked to the BBC.

Budu Dia Kongo is a political and religious group that has its own militia and accuses the central government of corruption. The group wants to establish its own authority in the west. Currently, more than 300 members of the BDK are missing.

A Congolese army captain was killed last month and it is alleged that BDK is responsible for the killing. Since this date, the Congolese police have been destroying BDK churches and houses believed to be owned by members of the group.

Many members of BDK have been seen at local hospitals for gunshot and machete wounds alleging they were tortured by police.

The governor of Bas-Congo, Simon Mbatshi Mbatsha, estimated that 24 civilians had been killed on 4 March 2008 during fighting between police and the BDK.

Mbatsha blames the government for causing violence because people are killed with firearms and there houses are burnt down.

While there are over 200 UN peace keepers in the area, they have been unable to maintain the peace.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Deadly clashes in west DR Congo – 16 March 2008

allAfrica.com – Congo-Kinshasa: Fears Over Increasing Sect-Related Violence in Southwest – 6 March 2008