At least 110 people have died in 7 weeks of post-election protests in Mozambique, rights groups say

More than 100 people including children have been killed by security forces in post-election protests in Mozambique that have lasted nearly two months, rights and civil society groups said.

The main opposition leader called Thursday for more demonstrations against what he says was a rigged vote by the governing party.

The southern African nation, which endured a 15-year civil war from 1977 to 1992, has been beset by unrest and street protests since two prominent opposition officials were fatally shot in their car by unknown gunmen on Oct. 18.

Those killings, which were called political assassinations by their party, increased tensions following a disputed Oct. 9 presidential election. Thousands of people have taken to the streets in protest against the long-governing Frelimo party, which has held power in Mozambique for nearly a half-century.

Since Oct. 21, 110 people have been killed in the protests, said Plataforma Eleitoral Decide, a Mozambique civil society group that monitors elections. Thirty-four of those were killed between