Curfew imposed in DRC province

MBANDAKA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- The governor of the province of Equateur in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has ordered a late-night curfew to curb kidnapping and killing.

Jose Makila told the U.N. Integrated Regional Information Network that residents of the capital, Mbandaka, hear gunfire during the night and find dead bodies when the sun comes up. He ordered the 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew on Tuesday.

"There are many armed men roaming about, especially at night, committing murder and extortion," Makila said. "They have not been properly identified, but we know there are at least 18,000 former rebels at large."

Members of the Mouvement pour la Liberation du Congo retreated to Equateur after the group's leader, Jean-Pierre Bemba, lost the 2006 presidential election to Joseph Kabila. Military officials, however, say that rebels are not the major problem in the province.

Gen. Michel Ekutshu, the army commander in Equateur, said three officers from the national army face trial for allegedly selling ammunition to poachers in the Salonga National Park in the south of the province.