The death toll from militia clashes with security forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo last week was at least 49, more than three times the number earlier reported, the governor of the province hit by the violence was quoted on Monday as saying. Fighters from militia group Kamwina Nsapu, seeking to avenge the death of their leader of the same name, battled security forces on Thursday and Friday in the town of Kananga in the centre of the vast central African country. U.N.-funded Radio Okapi quoted Alex Kande, governor of Kasai Central province as saying that 27 of the dead were militiamen, 16 were members of the security forces and six were civilians.

By Emma Batha LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Nearly 40 aid workers have been evacuated from a northern area of South Sudan due to deteriorating security, the U.N. food agency said on Monday. The World Food Programme (WFP) said 38 people from three U.N. agencies and three aid organisations were flown out of Jazeera and Nhialdu in Unity State last week amid signs that fighting was imminent. Fighting erupted in South Sudan at the end of 2013 between soldiers loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing his former deputy Riek Machar.