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DATE=2/19/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245715
TITLE=CONGO FIGHTING (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=TODD PITMAN
DATELINE=KIGALI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO: REBELS IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO SAY THEY'VE 
SHOT DOWN A ZIMBABWEAN JET FIGHTER EARLIER THIS WEEK IN THE 
SOUTHEAST OF THE COUNTRY.   REPORTER TODD PITMAN SAYS THE NEWS 
COMES AMID REPORTS OF AN UPSURGE IN FIGHTING AFTER A LULL OF 
SEVERAL MONTHS.
TEXT:  SENIOR REBEL COMMANDER BOB NGOY SAYS TWO MIG FIGHTER JETS 
LAUNCHED A BOMBING RAID ON MONDAY ON REBEL POSITIONS IN THE 
SOUTHEASTERN TOWN OF KABALO.
COMMANDER NGOY SAYS HIS FORCES FIRED ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS AND SHOT 
DOWN ONE OF THE PLANES, WHILE THE SECOND ESCAPED UNHARMED.
KABALO HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN THE TARGET OF BOMBING RAIDS BY 
GOVERNMENT-ALLIED JETS SINCE THE REBELS, BACKED BY RWANDA AND 
UGANDA, CAPTURED IT LAST OCTOBER.
THE REBELS HAVE MET STIFF RESISTANCE BUT HAVE SINCE PUSHED WEST 
FROM KABALO ACROSS THE CONGO RIVER AND SAY THEY'RE NOW HEADED 
TOWARD THE DIAMOND-RICH CITY OF MBUJI-MAYI.
THE FALL OF MBUJI-MAYI AND THE CAPTURE OF ITS HUGE DIAMOND MINES 
WOULD BE BOTH A BOOST TO THE REBELS AND A GREAT LOSS TO THE 
GOVERNMENT.
FOR THE MOMENT, REBEL COMMANDERS SAY THEIR TROOPS ARE MAINTAINING
DEFENSIVE POSITIONS, AND THE SOUTHERN FRONT IS LARGELY CALM.
BUT REBEL COMMANDERS SAY MORE THAN 12-THOUSAND OF THEIR TROOPS 
ARE PREPARING FOR A MAJOR ASSAULT ON MBUJI-MAYI, AND 
REINFORCEMENTS ARE ARRIVING DAILY FROM THE EAST.
//OPT// COMMANDER NGOY SAYS REBEL TROOPS ARE ONLY 25 KILOMETERS 
FROM KABINDA, A KEY TOWN JUST EAST OF MBUJI-MAYI. //END OPT//
THE NEWS FOLLOWS A LULL OF SEVERAL MONTHS IN WHICH REGIONAL 
LEADERS HAVE FAILED TO BROKER A CEASE-FIRE TO END THE CONFLICT, 
WHICH ALREADY INVOLVES AT LEAST SIX AFRICAN ARMIES.
PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA, BACKED BY ZIMBABWE, ANGOLA, NAMIBIA AND
CHAD, HAS STRUGGLED TO PUT DOWN THE REVOLT SINCE IT BEGAN LAST 
AUGUST.
BUT THE REBELS ARE STRUGGLING WITH INTERNAL PROBLEMS OF THEIR 
OWN.
EARLIER THIS WEEK, A SENIOR REBEL LEADER, ARTHUR Z'AHIDI NGOMA 
QUIT THE MAIN REBEL CONGOLESE RALLY FOR DEMOCRACY, CALLING IT 
UNDEMOCRATIC AND UNREPRESENTATIVE OF THE CONGOLESE PEOPLE.
MR NGOMA SAID HE'LL FORM HIS OWN MOVEMENT TO CONTINUE A PEACEFUL 
RATHER THAN MILITARY SOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT. (SIGNED) 
NEB/TP/PCF
19-Feb-99 8:27 AM EST (1327 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.