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Fighting flares in east DR Congo | Fighting flares in east DR Congo |
(1 day later) | |
Dissident soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have attacked army positions in the east of the country, the government says. | Dissident soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have attacked army positions in the east of the country, the government says. |
The attacks, close to the Rwandan border, ended months of relative calm in the region. | The attacks, close to the Rwandan border, ended months of relative calm in the region. |
The army said troops loyal to dissident general Laurent Nkunda bombarded the town of Sake for several hours. | The army said troops loyal to dissident general Laurent Nkunda bombarded the town of Sake for several hours. |
United Nations officials said thousands of civilians had fled their homes to escape the violence. | United Nations officials said thousands of civilians had fled their homes to escape the violence. |
The fighting comes amid heightened tension in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, where the former rebel leader, Jean-Pierre Bemba, is challenging his defeat in last month's presidential elections. | |
Rebels 'repulsed' | Rebels 'repulsed' |
At least two soldiers are reported to have been killed by in the attacks, in which the dissident troops used machine-guns, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. | At least two soldiers are reported to have been killed by in the attacks, in which the dissident troops used machine-guns, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. |
Army commander Col Delphin Kahindi, speaking from Sake, said 15 people, including eight civilians, had been wounded in five hours of clashes in which his troops repulsed Mr Nkunda's fighters. | Army commander Col Delphin Kahindi, speaking from Sake, said 15 people, including eight civilians, had been wounded in five hours of clashes in which his troops repulsed Mr Nkunda's fighters. |
Sake is a small town about 25km (15 miles) west of the provincial capital of Goma. | Sake is a small town about 25km (15 miles) west of the provincial capital of Goma. |
Maj Ajay Dalal, a spokesman for the Indian UN peacekeepers in the area, said rebel forces appeared to be pulling back into the bush | Maj Ajay Dalal, a spokesman for the Indian UN peacekeepers in the area, said rebel forces appeared to be pulling back into the bush |
"For now, the firing has stopped. We are deployed all around and are supporting the Congolese army but we haven't had to engage yet," he said. | "For now, the firing has stopped. We are deployed all around and are supporting the Congolese army but we haven't had to engage yet," he said. |
Mr Nkunda left the army and launched his own low-level rebellion after Congo's war ended, saying that the country's transition to democracy was flawed and had excluded the minority Tutsi community. | Mr Nkunda left the army and launched his own low-level rebellion after Congo's war ended, saying that the country's transition to democracy was flawed and had excluded the minority Tutsi community. |
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