The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), known as MONUC, has pledged to "bring before the courts" perpetrators of crimes committed in the embattled northeastern district of Ituri.

The head of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), William Swing, gave a two-week ultimatum on Sunday to militiamen in the embattled northeastern district of Ituri to disarm and be integrated into the country's national army.

At least 88,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the war-torn district of Ituri, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), are again receiving relief aid, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), reported on Wednesday.

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and international donors must take urgent steps to reform the country's legal system and ensure justice for victims of sexual violence, the international advocacy group, Human Rights Watch (HRW), said on Monday in a new report.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) resumed its relief activities on Friday in camps for thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ituri District, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), after eight days of what has been described as an "alarming" health situation.

A recent operation in which UN peacekeepers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) killed 50 militiamen was "an attempt to defend themselves and a determination to fulfil their mandate as effectively as they can," UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Thursday.

Soldiers of the integrated Congolese national army began their crackdown on militiamen in the northeastern district of Ituri on Tuesday when they deployed to the territory of Aru, 300 km north of Bunia town, a military official told IRIN.

At least 50 militiamen were killed during fighting between Pakistani UN troops and elements suspected to have killed nine UN peacekeepers on 25 February, Gen Jean-Francois Collot d'Escuries, the chief of staff of the UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo, known as MONUC, told IRIN.

Several leaders of the militia group that is accused of having executed nine Bangladeshi UN peacekeepers on Friday in Kafe village, in the Democratic Republic of Congo's northeastern Ituri District, have been arrested, Justice Minister Kisimba Ngoy told IRIN on Wednesday.

The first brigade of the integrated Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) began military operations on Monday, cracking down on armed groups in the northeastern district of Ituri, Defence Minister Adolphe Onusumba told IRIN.