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DATE=3/24/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247089
TITLE==CONGO MIG (L-O)
BYLINE=TODD PITMAN
DATELINE=KIGALI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  RWANDAN OFFICIALS SAY REBELS IN THE EAST OF THE 
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO HAVE SHOT DOWN ANOTHER  ZIMBABWEAN 
JET FIGHTER.  AS TODD PITMAN  REPORTS, THE LOSS IS PART OF A 
SERIES OF RECENT BLOWS SUFFERED BY THE ZIMBABWEAN TROOPS IN THE 
CONGO.
TEXT:   A SENIOR RWANDAN OFFICIAL, SPEAKING ON CONDITION OF 
ANONYMITY, SAYS REBEL FORCES SHOT DOWN THE MIG FIGHTER JET ON 
TUESDAY NIGHT NEAR KAKUYU, A SMALL VILLAGE ABOUT 12-HUNDRED 
KILOMETERS EAST OF THE CAPITAL, KINSHASA.
IT IS THE SECOND ZIMBABWEAN FIGHTER JET REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN 
SHOT DOWN BY REBELS IN THE LAST WEEK ALONE.
REBELS SAY THEY SHOT DOWN THE OTHER MIG FARTHER WEST NEAR THE 
VILLAGE OF ESHIMBA IN A NO-MAN'S (DESERTED) LAND BETWEEN THE 
GOVERNMENT AND REBEL LINES.
WITNESSES SAY ZIMBABWEAN FIGHTER JETS, SOMETIMES ACCOMPANIED BY 
SLOW-MOVING RUSSIAN-BUILT CARGO PLANES, HAVE OFTEN BOMBED REBEL 
TERRITORIES.
BUT THE AIR RAIDS HAVE DONE LITTLE TO STOP THE REBELS, WHO ARE 
CONTINUING THEIR SLOW ADVANCE WEST WITH HELP FROM RWANDA AND 
UGANDA. THE CAMPAIGN BEGAN LAST AUGUST.
ZIMBABWE HAS POURED MORE THAN SIX THOUSAND TROOPS INTO THE CONGO 
AND SCORES OF PLANES, ARMORED CARS AND HEAVY ARTILLERY TO BOLSTER
THE GOVERNMENT ARMY OF PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA.
THE MOVE HAS NOT BEEN WITHOUT ITS FAILURES.
LAST WEEK, RWANDAN TROOPS AMBUSHED A ZIMBABWEAN BATTALION MOVING 
TOWARD ESHIMBA, ABOUT 140 KILOMETERS EAST OF THE COUNTRY'S 
DIAMOND MINING CAPITAL, MBUJIMAYI.
DAYS AFTER THE BATTLE, THE BLOATED BODIES OF AT LEAST 60 
ZIMBABWEAN SOLDIERS LITTERED A SANDY ROAD RUNNING THROUGH A VAST 
GREEN SAVANNAH JUST WEST OF ESHIMBA.
//BEGIN OPT// MANY OF THE BODIES WERE CRAWLING WITH MAGGOTS AND 
MOST WERE MISSING SHOES AND OTHER EQUIPMENT TAKEN BY VICTORIOUS 
REBEL SOLDIERS. //END OPT//
THE ROAD WAS STREWN WITH WRECKED CARS, SPENT BULLETS AND HUNDREDS
OF GREEN BOXES OF AMMUNITION, AS WELL AS ZIMBABWEAN BEER, 
ZIMBABWEAN NEWSPAPERS AND PERSONAL LETTERS AND PHOTOS SENT TO 
SOLDIERS FROM THEIR FAMILIES IN THE ZIMBABWEAN CAPITAL, HARARE.  
(SIGNED)
NEB/TP/LMK/GE
24-Mar-99 11:08 AM EST (1608 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.