Congo army kills 9 militiamen in eastern offensive
SEJABU, Congo, May 21 (Reuters) - Congolese government troops operating alongside U.N. peacekeepers killed nine militiamen in an offensive aimed at pacifying the violence-prone east ahead of historic elections, the army said on Sunday.
After heavy fighting, the government forces entered the town of Tchei in Congo's northeast Ituri district late on Saturday.
But the rebel militia fighters counter-attacked early on Sunday and heavy machinegun and mortar fire could be heard from hills overlooking the town. Militia violence in Ituri has killed tens of thousands since 1999.
Around 1,000 Bangladeshi, Pakistani and South African U.N. peacekeepers are fighting alongside 3,000 Congolese soldiers in the offensive launched on Saturday.
Tchei has long been held by the rebels, thought by the U.N. to number 2,000, who continue to fight against government and U.N. forces two months ahead of July 30 national elections meant to pacify the mineral-rich but war-ravaged African country.
"The militia left Tchei last night. We killed nine militiamen during the day," a Congolese army officer accompanying U.N. peacekeepers told Reuters on Sunday.
"But they have come back in force and are attacking again," he added as automatic gunfire rang out and mortar fire thumped into the plains over the hill from a U.N. position.
Congo's army, which is drawn from former government forces and the rebels they fought against during the country's five-year war, is spearheading the operation against the militia stronghold.
U.N. peacekeepers, advancing in armoured trucks and by foot, supported the 3,000 government soldiers, most of whom are poorly paid and sometimes fight in flip-flops.
General Nsiona Mbuayama, commander of the Congolese army in Ituri, confirmed that some of his men had arrived in the town.
LANDMARK POLLS
A spokesman for the U.N. force in east Congo said Pakistani peacekeepers had fought militia on Saturday and the rest of the blue helmets would continue their advance on the town.
The offensive is the latest attempt by the U.N.'s biggest peacekeeping force in the world -- which has nearly 17,000 soldiers and policemen but is stretched thin across the vast country -- to improve security across Congo before the first free polls in four decades.
Long-awaited presidential and legislative elections are due on July 30 after repeated delays. Congo's war sucked in six neighbouring countries and was officially declared over in 2003.
But gunmen still roam across the east, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis that has killed 4 million people since the war first began in 1998.
Previous operations in the area have been compromised by the chaotic, ill-equipped and badly paid national army that the U.N. fights alongside.
The world body had to cancel a joint operation with the Congolese army to retake Tchei in March after dozens of army commandos mutinied and ransacked a U.N. base.
Militia fighters in Ituri were once divided along ethnic lines but last year they created a loose alliance, known as the Revolutionary Movement of Congo (MRC) and are fighting together against any attempt to extend government authority on Ituri.
After heavy fighting, the government forces entered the town of Tchei in Congo's northeast Ituri district late on Saturday.
But the rebel militia fighters counter-attacked early on Sunday and heavy machinegun and mortar fire could be heard from hills overlooking the town. Militia violence in Ituri has killed tens of thousands since 1999.
Around 1,000 Bangladeshi, Pakistani and South African U.N. peacekeepers are fighting alongside 3,000 Congolese soldiers in the offensive launched on Saturday.
Tchei has long been held by the rebels, thought by the U.N. to number 2,000, who continue to fight against government and U.N. forces two months ahead of July 30 national elections meant to pacify the mineral-rich but war-ravaged African country.
"The militia left Tchei last night. We killed nine militiamen during the day," a Congolese army officer accompanying U.N. peacekeepers told Reuters on Sunday.
"But they have come back in force and are attacking again," he added as automatic gunfire rang out and mortar fire thumped into the plains over the hill from a U.N. position.
Congo's army, which is drawn from former government forces and the rebels they fought against during the country's five-year war, is spearheading the operation against the militia stronghold.
U.N. peacekeepers, advancing in armoured trucks and by foot, supported the 3,000 government soldiers, most of whom are poorly paid and sometimes fight in flip-flops.
General Nsiona Mbuayama, commander of the Congolese army in Ituri, confirmed that some of his men had arrived in the town.
LANDMARK POLLS
A spokesman for the U.N. force in east Congo said Pakistani peacekeepers had fought militia on Saturday and the rest of the blue helmets would continue their advance on the town.
The offensive is the latest attempt by the U.N.'s biggest peacekeeping force in the world -- which has nearly 17,000 soldiers and policemen but is stretched thin across the vast country -- to improve security across Congo before the first free polls in four decades.
Long-awaited presidential and legislative elections are due on July 30 after repeated delays. Congo's war sucked in six neighbouring countries and was officially declared over in 2003.
But gunmen still roam across the east, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis that has killed 4 million people since the war first began in 1998.
Previous operations in the area have been compromised by the chaotic, ill-equipped and badly paid national army that the U.N. fights alongside.
The world body had to cancel a joint operation with the Congolese army to retake Tchei in March after dozens of army commandos mutinied and ransacked a U.N. base.
Militia fighters in Ituri were once divided along ethnic lines but last year they created a loose alliance, known as the Revolutionary Movement of Congo (MRC) and are fighting together against any attempt to extend government authority on Ituri.
posted by Marko at 5/21/2006 09:22:00 AM
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