'Rebels burn 39 villagers alive in Congo'

UN forces have stepped up activity in the South Kivu province in the past week to try to improve security following a spate of attacks blamed on Rwandan rebels based in the lawless regions on Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern border.

"Thirty-nine civilians were burned alive after being locked in their huts, another seven are injured," said Sylvie van den Wildenberg, a spokeswoman for the UN mission in Congo, referring to the attack that happened late on Saturday.

"The vast majority were women and children," she said by telephone from the eastern town of Bukavu. "Some people said it was in retaliation for a recent Congolese army attack on the rebels. Others said it was to discourage people from supporting an increasingly present UN mission," she said.