Monday's attack in Kinshasa by a group of unknown "terrorists" left 34 people dead, the Democratic Republic of Congo's government spokesman Lambert Mende said as he released the official death toll.

Mende said Kinshasa's strategic sites of Congolese National Radio Television (RTNC), the FARDC army barracks and N'Djili international airport were attacked at the same time by an unknown group of terrorists, leaving respectively eight, 16 and 10 dead on the side of the terrorists.

The government spokesman said three assailants were arrested at the RTNC site.

He hailed the prompt reaction by the DR Congo Armed Forces (FARDC) who, according to him, carried out their responsibility of protecting strategic sites to guarantee national security.

"The reaction of FARDC and all our security forces in defending our country and neutralizing the terrorist aggression was prompt and severe," he said.

Mende said the objective of the assailants was to create panic among the population.

"We get the impression that the assailants did not have any other objective, given their number and weapons in their possession, other than that of creating fear and panic on the eve of New Year celebrations which have a lot of significance in our culture," he said.

He affirmed that calm had been restored, pledging Kinshasa residents could freely go on with their normal activities.