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| Clashes shatter Congo ceasefire | Clashes shatter Congo ceasefire |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Heavy fighting has broken out in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo between government forces and rebels loyal to Laurent Nkunda. | Heavy fighting has broken out in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo between government forces and rebels loyal to Laurent Nkunda. |
| The clashes have taken place in and around the town of Rwindi, about 125km (75 miles) north of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu. | The clashes have taken place in and around the town of Rwindi, about 125km (75 miles) north of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu. |
| The clashes come despite Gen Nkunda saying he would agree to a ceasefire, if the government followed suit. | The clashes come despite Gen Nkunda saying he would agree to a ceasefire, if the government followed suit. |
| He made the offer during talks with UN envoy Olusegun Obasanjo. | He made the offer during talks with UN envoy Olusegun Obasanjo. |
| There was no immediate word on casualties in Sunday's fighting, according to UN peacekeeping spokesman Colonel Jean-Paul Dietrich. | There was no immediate word on casualties in Sunday's fighting, according to UN peacekeeping spokesman Colonel Jean-Paul Dietrich. |
| "Everybody is trying to push the other side back," he said. | "Everybody is trying to push the other side back," he said. |
| "It's very regrettable that they could not respect the ceasefire". | "It's very regrettable that they could not respect the ceasefire". |
| See detailed map of the area Rebel spokesman Bertrand Bisimwa said their forces had taken control of Rwindi and an AP reporter in the town said rebels were walking around freely. | |
| Mr Bisimwa told the AFP news agency that government troops had been pushed back to Vitshumbi, north-east of Rwindi. | Mr Bisimwa told the AFP news agency that government troops had been pushed back to Vitshumbi, north-east of Rwindi. |
| "The government forces are stuck at Vitshumbi, they have no choice but to run away across the lake or through the forest. | "The government forces are stuck at Vitshumbi, they have no choice but to run away across the lake or through the forest. |
| "We are going to... silence the government forces. We are going to impose a ceasefire on them." | "We are going to... silence the government forces. We are going to impose a ceasefire on them." |
| Mediation | Mediation |
| In his talks with Mr Obasanjo, Gen Nkunda said he would support a peace process with the government. | In his talks with Mr Obasanjo, Gen Nkunda said he would support a peace process with the government. |
| And he agreed to ceasefire monitors as long as they did not include UN peacekeepers, whom he accuses of bias. | And he agreed to ceasefire monitors as long as they did not include UN peacekeepers, whom he accuses of bias. |
| FORCES AROUND GOMA CNDP: Gen Nkunda's Tutsi rebels - 6,000 fightersFDLR: Rwandan Hutus - 6-7,000Mai Mai: pro-government militia - 3,500Monuc: UN peacekeepers - 6,000 in North Kivu, including about 1,000 in Goma (17,000 nationwide)DRC army - 90,000 (nationwide) Source: UN, military experts | FORCES AROUND GOMA CNDP: Gen Nkunda's Tutsi rebels - 6,000 fightersFDLR: Rwandan Hutus - 6-7,000Mai Mai: pro-government militia - 3,500Monuc: UN peacekeepers - 6,000 in North Kivu, including about 1,000 in Goma (17,000 nationwide)DRC army - 90,000 (nationwide) Source: UN, military experts |
| The government of DR Congo's President Joseph Kabila has to date rejected rebel calls for direct negotiation. | The government of DR Congo's President Joseph Kabila has to date rejected rebel calls for direct negotiation. |
| Mr Obasanjo said it would take effort from both sides to keep a truce. | Mr Obasanjo said it would take effort from both sides to keep a truce. |
| Following the meeting in the rebel-held town of Jomba, Mr Obasanjo travelled to Kigali in neighbouring Rwanda which the DR Congo government accuses of supporting the rebellion. | Following the meeting in the rebel-held town of Jomba, Mr Obasanjo travelled to Kigali in neighbouring Rwanda which the DR Congo government accuses of supporting the rebellion. |
| He is now in Kenya, where he is due to meet President Mwai Kibaki for talks on the conflict. | He is now in Kenya, where he is due to meet President Mwai Kibaki for talks on the conflict. |
| An estimated 250,000 people have been made homeless by weeks of fighting between rebels and government troops. | An estimated 250,000 people have been made homeless by weeks of fighting between rebels and government troops. |
| BBC world affairs correspondent Mark Doyle reports from Goma that Gen Nkunda's support for a ceasefire is not new and some observers were surprised at how Mr Obasanjo appears to have been seduced by a man Congolese officials and human rights groups refer to as a "war criminal". | BBC world affairs correspondent Mark Doyle reports from Goma that Gen Nkunda's support for a ceasefire is not new and some observers were surprised at how Mr Obasanjo appears to have been seduced by a man Congolese officials and human rights groups refer to as a "war criminal". |
| It may be that Mr Obasanjo was expecting the rebel group to be a motley collection and when he saw that Mr Nkunda's troops were a well-equipped military unit, he was surprised, our correspondent adds. | It may be that Mr Obasanjo was expecting the rebel group to be a motley collection and when he saw that Mr Nkunda's troops were a well-equipped military unit, he was surprised, our correspondent adds. |
| 'Two to tango' | 'Two to tango' |
| Gen Nkunda says he is fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attacks by Rwandan FDLR Hutu rebels who fled to DR Congo after the 1994 genocide. | Gen Nkunda says he is fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attacks by Rwandan FDLR Hutu rebels who fled to DR Congo after the 1994 genocide. |
| Mr Obasanjo, Nigeria's former president, told reporters the discussions had gone "extremely well". | Mr Obasanjo, Nigeria's former president, told reporters the discussions had gone "extremely well". |
| UN peacekeepers have helped protect aid convoys | UN peacekeepers have helped protect aid convoys |
| But he suggested concerted efforts would be needed: "It's like dancing the tango: you can't do it alone." | But he suggested concerted efforts would be needed: "It's like dancing the tango: you can't do it alone." |
| Mr Obasanjo, who met President Kabila on Friday, said the president had not laid down conditions for talks with the country's rebels. | Mr Obasanjo, who met President Kabila on Friday, said the president had not laid down conditions for talks with the country's rebels. |
| The UN envoy also met members of DR Congo's parliament and ambassadors representing UN Security Council members in Kinshasa on Saturday. | The UN envoy also met members of DR Congo's parliament and ambassadors representing UN Security Council members in Kinshasa on Saturday. |
| In a recent BBC interview, Gen Nkunda said he wanted to take over the whole of Congo. | In a recent BBC interview, Gen Nkunda said he wanted to take over the whole of Congo. |
| This was obviously propaganda, our correspondent says, but it scared many Congolese people because they, on the whole, believe that Gen Nkunda is backed by Rwanda which, though small, is powerful. | This was obviously propaganda, our correspondent says, but it scared many Congolese people because they, on the whole, believe that Gen Nkunda is backed by Rwanda which, though small, is powerful. |
| Rwanda, for its part, says Congo backs an anti-Rwandan government militia force based in the Congolese forest, our correspondent adds. | Rwanda, for its part, says Congo backs an anti-Rwandan government militia force based in the Congolese forest, our correspondent adds. |
| The UN says the conflict that began in August between Gen Nkunda's fighters and government forces has caused a humanitarian catastrophe. | The UN says the conflict that began in August between Gen Nkunda's fighters and government forces has caused a humanitarian catastrophe. |
| On Friday, for the first time after weeks of fighting, UN aid workers delivered maize and lentils to some of the 50,000 or more hungry civilians in Rutshuru territory, north of Goma. | On Friday, for the first time after weeks of fighting, UN aid workers delivered maize and lentils to some of the 50,000 or more hungry civilians in Rutshuru territory, north of Goma. |
| Return to top | Return to top |
| Are you in the Democratic Republic of Congo? Are you affected by the issues in this story? What is your reaction to the outcome of Olusegun Obasanjo's visit? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you in the Democratic Republic of Congo? Are you affected by the issues in this story? What is your reaction to the outcome of Olusegun Obasanjo's visit? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |