DATE=6/5/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CONGO / CLASHES (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-236179
BYLINE=TODD PITMAN
DATELINE=KIGALI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Fighting between Rwandan and Ugandan forces
has broken out again in northeastern Congo, in the
city of Kisangani. Todd Pitman has more on the story
from the Rwandan capital, Kigali.
TEXT: Rwandan government spokesman Joseph Bideri says
Ugandan forces shelled Rwandan positions in Kisangani
early on Monday.
Mr. Bideri says the attack began as the two armies --
who clashed in Kisangani on May 5th -- were in the
process of pulling their troops out of the city under
a demilitarization agreement reached last month.
A spokesman for the Ugandan army, Major Phineas
Katirima, says Ugandan troops fired mortar rounds
after unidentified attackers ambushed a Ugandan army
vehicle on the outskirts of the city.
Major Katirima says the vehicle was destroyed by a
rocket-propelled grenade, but he could not say whether
Rwandan troops were responsible for the attack. The
Ugandans also came under shellfire, he said, and
returned fire in the same direction.
Members of a 20-man United Nations observer team
stationed in Kisangani confirmed the fighting, and
said they had contacted commanders on both sides in an
effort to defuse the situation.
Rwanda and Uganda, once close allies backing rebels in
the war against Congo Kinshasa President Laurent
Kabila, clashed in Kisangani last August, then again
last month, in fighting that left at least 28
civilians dead and more than 150 wounded.
The two rival armies began withdrawing their troops
from Kisangani on May 29th, as part of a plan to
demilitarize the city under the eyes of U-N observers
based there. (Signed)
NEB/TP/GE/WTW
05-Jun-2000 11:59 AM EDT (05-Jun-2000 1559 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
