By AFP

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Nearly 400 extrajudicial executions took place in the Democratic Republic of Congo in November, including more than 10 percent committed by government security forces and the others by armed groups, a UN report said Wednesday. 

The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office said "agents of the state" were responsible for the extrajudicial executions in November of 40 people, including 24 men, nine women and seven children. 

The UNJHRO, in its latest monthly report, added that fighters with armed groups committed summary executions of at least 345 people, or 258 men, 61 women and 26 children.

It documented in November 801 violations and human rights abuses throughout the territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo, or an increase of 61 percent over the month of October when there were 498 violations.

The majority of violations and abuses took place in the province of North Kivu, followed by Ituri, Tanganyika and South Kivu, all of them in the eastern part of the nation, the report said. 

Since May North Kivu and Ituri have been under a state of siege aimed at ending the activity of armed groups.

This exceptional measure has given the army full powers but has failed so far to prevent abuses by armed groups that have destabilised the region for 25 years.

The authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo could not immediately be reached for comment.