DATE=4/8/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247801
TITLE=CONGO REBELS (L ONLY)
BYLINE=TODD PITMAN
DATELINE=KIGALI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A SENIOR RWANDAN OFFICIAL SAYS REBELS IN THE DEMOCRATIC
REPUBLIC OF CONGO HAVE SCORED A MAJOR VICTORY AGAINST GOVERNMENT
TROOPS AND THEIR ALLIES IN THE SOUTHEAST OF THE COUNTRY. TODD
PITMAN IN KIGALI REPORTS RWANDA SAYS THE REBELS CAPTURED A HUGE
SUPPLY OF WAR MATERIAL IN THE BATTLE (EARLIER THIS WEEK).
TEXT: RWANDAN MAJOR WILSON RUTAYISIRE SAYS REBEL TROOPS DEALT A
SERIOUS BLOW TO CONGOLESE AND ZIMBABWEAN SOLDIERS IN THE
REBEL-HELD VILLAGE OF KAKUYU, ABOUT TWELVE-HUNDRED KILOMETERS
EAST OF THE CAPITAL, KINSHASA.
HE SAYS ZIMBABWEAN TROOPS ABANDONED THEIR DEFENSES AND FLED IN A
HURRY, LEAVING BEHIND THREE TANKS, FOUR ARMORED PERSONNEL
CARRIERS, FOUR ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS, AND A WEALTH OF OTHER WEAPONS.
THERE WAS NO WORD ON CASUALTIES, BUT REBEL COMMANDERS SAY HEAVY
BATTLES HAVE TAKEN PLACE THIS WEEK AND LAST AROUND KAKUYU.
TWO-WEEKS AGO, REBELS CLAIMED TO HAVE SHOT DOWN A ZIMBABWEAN
FIGHTER JET IN THE SAME AREA.
THE FIGHTING IS PART OF AN ON-GOING REBEL OFFENSIVE AIMED AT
CAPTURING THE COUNTRY'S DIAMOND MINING CAPITAL, MBUJI-MAYI, ABOUT
300-KILOMETERS TO THE WEST.
THE REBELS ARE ADVANCING ON THE CITY FROM SEVERAL FRONTS. THEY
SAY KABINDA, ONLY 100 KILOMETERS WEST OF MBUJI-MAYI, COULD FALL
AT ANY TIME.
BACKED BY RWANDA AND UGANDA, THE REBELS TOOK UP ARMS AGAINST
PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA LAST AUGUST. THE FIGHTING SLOWED IN
NOVEMBER. BUT SINCE FEBRUARY, THE REBELS HAVE BEGUN A OFFENSIVE.
EFFORTS TO BROKER A CEASEFIRE TO END THE CONFLICT HAVE MADE
LITTLE PROGRESS. BUT REBEL LEADER ERNEST WAMBA DIA WAMBA SAYS
THE TWO SIDES MAY COME TOGETHER FOR WHAT HE CALLED INFORMAL
DISCUSSIONS NEXT WEEK.
MR. WAMBA SAYS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PEACE GROUP, THE SANT EGIDIO
COMMUNITY, HAS INVITED BOTH SIDES TO ROME FOR PRELIMINARY TALKS.
BUT NEITHER SIDE HAS CONFIRMED IT WILL PARTICIPATE. (SIGNED)
NEB/TP/JWH
08-Apr-99 1:32 PM EDT (1732 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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