Cruelty of African region probed by Congress (9)

I believe the answer is:

barbarity

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'cruelty' is the definition.
(I know that barbarity is a type of atrocity)

'african region probed by congress' is the wordplay.
'african region' becomes 'barbary' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'probed by' means one lot of letters goes inside another (I've seen this in other clues).
'congress' becomes 'it' (congress can mean sex).
'barbary' placed around 'it' is 'BARBARITY'.

'of' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for barbarity that I've seen before include "A savagely cruel act" , "Savage and cruel behaviour" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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