The United Nations on Wednesday expressed concern over the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and called for a peaceful solution to the conflict.

The situation in the troubled eastern region of the country was"tense" amid sporadic clashes between anti-governmental troops government forces, said Hamadoun Toure, spokesman for the United Nations Mission in the DRC.

He called for a peaceful solution to the conflict so that the progress made in the transition process over the past 13 months would not be jeopardized.

The vast central African country was split into rival fiefdoms during the 1998-2002 fighting that drew in the armies of half a dozen African nations and claimed about 3 million lives. Most of the victims died of hunger and disease induced by war.

A 2002 peace deal paved the way for a transitional government that took office in July 2003, bringing former rebel leaders to the capital to take up top posts.

About 10,800 UN troops are deployed in the DRC, monitoring the peace process and helping the government regain control of the country.

Source: Xinhua