More than 240 suspected witches have been murdered in the
Democratic Republic of Congo during an 'elimination of sorcerers month'.
A tribal chief in the country has declared a purge on witches during June.
The Ugandan army, employed by the DRC, have now arrested80 people suspected of taking part in the lynchings.
More than 200 others, many with machete wounds, are underthe protection of the Ugandan forces.
The disturbances took place in and around the town of Aru inthe north of the country, according to the New Visionnewspaper.
It quoted a local chief, now under arrest in connection with thedeaths, as saying that June had been set aside for the work.
He explained: "We asked people to identify the suspects andask them to produce the charms and name other suspects.Then the mob kills them."
Brigadier Henry Tumukunde told the paper: "Some of thearrested men asked to be freed so they could finish killing offsuspected poisoners."