20110203
Xinhua
KINSHASA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has killed at least 35 people in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) since the beginning of the year, the UN refugee agency.

The UNHCR report released on Tuesday also said the rebels have abducted 104 people and displaced 17,000 others.

According to the agency, the rebels seem to have changed their tactics, targeting not only the people living in isolated and far areas, but also those living in densely populated areas.

The report said the rebels recently attacked a number of towns including Niangara, Dungu, Faradje and Ango, which are situated in Haut-Uele and Bas-Uele districts in Orientale province.

On Feb. 24, the LRA launched a raid on the town of Banangana, where eight people were killed and 30 others abducted.

Since December 2007, more than 2,000 people have been killed and 2,500 others abducted during attacks by the LRA. LRA attacks have been singled out as one of the main causes of the highest displacement of the population in Africa.

Since 2008, 290,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Orientale province. In addition, 20,000 Congolese are taking refuge in southern Sudan and 3,500 in the Central African Republic, according to the UNHCR report.