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Clashes shatter Congo ceasefire Congo rebel advance breaks truce
(about 6 hours later)
Heavy fighting has broken out in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo between government forces and rebels loyal to Laurent Nkunda. Rebels in eastern Democratic Republic have gone on the offensive despite declaring a ceasefire, the UN says.
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 latest fighting has been 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 rebels say they have seized the town and a UN spokesman says they have continued to advance further north.
He made the offer during talks with UN envoy Olusegun Obasanjo. The fighting comes as UN envoy Olusegun Obasanjo continues efforts to broker an end to the conflict.
There was no immediate word on casualties in Sunday's fighting, according to UN peacekeeping spokesman Colonel Jean-Paul Dietrich. A reporter for the AP news agency in Rwindi says rebels are walking around the town freely.
"Everybody is trying to push the other side back," he said. "This shows they're not respecting their own ceasefire they've declared," AP quoted UN peacekeeping spokesman Colonel Jean-Paul Dietrich as saying.
"It's very regrettable that they could not respect the ceasefire". name="text"> class="bodl" href="#infographic">See detailed map of the area Rebel spokesman Bertrand Bisimwa told the AFP news agency that government troops had been pushed back to Vitshumbi, north-east of Rwindi.
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.
"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."
MediationMediation
In his talks with Mr Obasanjo, Gen Nkunda said he would support a peace process with the government. Meanwhile, AFP reports that four government soldiers have been sentenced to life in prison by a military court in Goma for rape, deserting their posts and looting.
And he agreed to ceasefire monitors as long as they did not include UN peacekeepers, whom he accuses of bias. The Congolese army is seen as weak and ill-disciplined.
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 In talks with Mr Obasanjo on Sunday, Gen Nkunda said he would support a peace process with the government.
He also agreed to ceasefire monitors, as long as they did not include UN peacekeepers, whom he accuses of bias.
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 then continued to Kenya for further mediation.
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".
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'
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". The Congolese army has been accused of working with the FDLR fighters to exploit eastern DR Congo's rich mineral resources.
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."
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.
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, says the BBC's Mark Doyle, but it scared many Congolese people because on the whole they 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.
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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.
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