Official: Republic of Congo deports nearly ..

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Kinshasa, Congo • Officials say nearly 60,000 Congolese citizens now have been deported from its much smaller neighbor Republic of Congo in the last three weeks.

Many of those being ordered to leave have complained of mistreatment on the part of the forces carrying out the deportations.

Congo's interior minister, Richard Muyej Mangez, said Friday at a news conference in Kinshasa that authorities there now were opening investigations into the allegations made by the deportees.

He said Congo had no plans to pursue reciprocal actions against citizens from Republic of Congo however.

Authorities in Republic of Congo maintain that the deportees lack the proper immigration papers to stay in Brazzaville.

And the mayor of its capital has said that any police officers caught abusing citizens would face justice.

Official: Republic of Congo deports nearly 60,000