|
Julien Paluku Kahongya, governor of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)＇s eastern North-Kivu Province, denied yesterday that the government forces are fighting rebels with assistance of anti-Rwandanese government militia.
The Democratic forces for the liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) are not involved in the fighting between the DRC＇s armed forces (FARDC) and troops loyal to renegade general Laurent Nkunda in Sake town, said the governor.
The governor refuted claims that these clashes were ethnic- based, saying Hutus and Tutsis are living harmoniously in the province.
In January 2007, DRC government signed an agreement with Nkunda, a Tutsi, for the integration of his troops into the national army, within "mixed" brigades composed of government forces and troops loyal to him.
In mid-August, troops loyal to Nkunda deserted their positions in the mixed brigades and attacked FARDC＇s positions, accusing them of colluding with FDLR rebels.
The fighting has forced many people to flee into the neighboring countries with reports indicating that Uganda has already received up to 10,000 refugees.
To complicate matters even further, the situation has taken an international dimension with the DRC accusing Rwanda of supporting General Nkunda＇s fighters.
Rwanda, which has already invaded the DRC twice in an effort to root out Hutu rebels, has countered the accusations by saying that the DRC is supportive of the FDLR and the Interahamwe forces, two Rwandese Hutu rebel outfits, who fled and regrouped in eastern DRC after being implicated in the 1994 Rwandese genocide.
Foreign ministers from the two countries met recently in a bid to iron out their differences over security issues.
During a two-day encounter, the two sides expressed willingness to normalize diplomatic ties and enhance bilateral cooperation.
|
Magazine subscriptions