U.N. Congo mission spokeswoman Florence Marchal said at least 82 people have been arrested across the country in connection with Sunday's protests. Human Rights Watch Central Africa director Ida Sawyer said Congolese security forces shot dead two men outside St. Alphonse church in the Matete district. Congo police spokesman Col. Pierrot Mwanamputu, however, said the two were killed after an altercation with police. Kabila, whose mandate ended December 2016, had agreed to set an election by the end of 2017. The government refused permits for the demonstrations Sunday, and shut down internet and SMS services countrywide ahead of the planned anti-government protests for what it called security reasons.

Source: ABC News December 31, 2017 13:15 UTC