Heavy fighting in Congo

The Irish Times - Mar 1, 2006
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/world/2006/0301/1593657715FR01CONGO.html

UN in heavy fighting in Congo

by David Lewis in Kinshasa

CONGO: Thousands of Congolese government soldiers and hundreds of UN
peacekeepers battled ethnic militia fighters yesterday for control of an
eastern town. Some government troops were killed, the UN said.

UN peacekeepers backed up by helicopter gunships and mortar fire fought
alongside the national army to retake control of Tchei, 60 kilometres
southwest of Bunia in Ituri district, where militia violence has killed
60,000 people since 1999.

"There is heavy fighting going on," said UN military spokesman Maj
Hans-Jakob Reichen. "The armed groups are trying to break the strangle[
hold] that the joint forces have put around them.

"Our operation will not stop until the rule of law is established in the
Tchei area.

"We have engaged with attack helicopters and mortars. Men in armoured
personnel carriers and soldiers on the ground are also fighting," he
said.

Accused of doing little to stop fighting in the Congo despite peace
deals that officially ended a five-year war in 2003, the UN has adopted
a more robust approach, aiming to cut militia activity ahead of polls in
June.

"There are quite a few Congolese soldiers wounded, and a few have died,"
Maj Reichen said, adding that one UN soldier had also been hurt,
although not by enemy fire.

"There have been casualties amongst the militia," he said, without
giving any figures. Five battalions totalling around 2,500 from the
reformed national army and some 500 UN peacekeepers were involved, he
said.

) The Irish Times ) Reuters

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Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
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