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Goma residents protest deployment of Rwandese policemen in DRC

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ARSENE MPIANA/AFP or licensors

Democratic Republic Of Congo

Hundreds of Goma residents in the Democratic Republic of Congo are protesting the arrival of Rwandese security agents in the region.

Clashes erupted between angry youths and local police resulting in several injuries and the death of a policeman on Monday in Goma which is the capital of North Kivu.

They mostly erected barricades on several roads blocking traffic.

"In our country, we have a good army and a good police force, but we don't understand why the Rwandans are going to come and secure us here in our country. Since Mobutu is president of this country he never sold this country but today we have Tshisekedi signed agreements with Rwanda for its police to come here, we refuse that," said a protester.

"We as Congolese have been suffering for a long time. We are demonstrating to say no to the arrival of Rwandan police in our country, we refuse because we have our own police force," another protester said.

The police dispersed the demonstrators with tear gas canisters and live ammunition. One policeman and another protester were killed and dozens of others injured, according to provisional figures.

On Saturday, the general commissioner of the Congolese national police denied this allegation saying no external police were to come to Goma. He labeled this allegation as false.

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