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DR Congo rebels 'oust Gen Nkunda' DR Congo rebels 'oust Gen Nkunda'
(40 minutes later)
Senior commanders in the main rebel movement in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo say they have ousted their leader, General Laurent Nkunda.Senior commanders in the main rebel movement in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo say they have ousted their leader, General Laurent Nkunda.
CNDP officers told the BBC they had removed Gen Nkunda because of what they described as "bad governance".CNDP officers told the BBC they had removed Gen Nkunda because of what they described as "bad governance".
There has been no comment yet from Gen Nkunda and no independent confirmation.There has been no comment yet from Gen Nkunda and no independent confirmation.
The CNDP launched a major offensive in August, which displaced more than a quarter of a million people and raised fears of a wider regional war.The CNDP launched a major offensive in August, which displaced more than a quarter of a million people and raised fears of a wider regional war.
The rebel group says it is fighting to protect its Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels based in DR Congo, some of whom are accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide. Gen Nkunda and his group says they are fighting to protect the Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels based in DR Congo, some of whom are accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide. The military high command decided unanimously to put an end to the CNDP leader's bad governance which was dangerous for the movement's future and for the Congolese people Kamanzi DesireCNDP spokesman
The Congolese government has often promised to stop the Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so.The Congolese government has often promised to stop the Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so.
However, others see the group as a Rwandan proxy and the biggest reason why DR Congo is yet to benefit from landmark elections in 2006 intended to draw a line under decades of conflict.
Human rights group have accused CNDP forces, along with those of the government, of numerous killings, rapes and torture.
Talks in Kenya aimed at ending the conflict became deadlocked last month, with UN mediator Olusegun Obasanjo complaining that the CNDP's negotiators lacked the authority to make concessions.Talks in Kenya aimed at ending the conflict became deadlocked last month, with UN mediator Olusegun Obasanjo complaining that the CNDP's negotiators lacked the authority to make concessions.
'Transitional council''Transitional council'
The decision to remove Gen Nkunda as the CNDP leader reportedly came after a meeting of the rebel group's army high command on Sunday. The decision to remove Gen Nkunda as leader of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) reportedly came after a meeting of the rebel group's military high command on Sunday. Both government and rebel forces have been accused of war crimes class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/3786883.stm">Profile: General Laurent Nkunda class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7721205.stm">Face-to-face with rebel chief class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/3075537.stm">Q&A: DR Congo conflict
The fighting has displaced some 250,000 people since August In a statement sent to the BBC and signed by Brig-Gen Bosco Ntaganda, the rebels' chief of staff, the high command said Gen Nkunda's "bad leadership" and "bad governance" had distracted the CNDP from undertaking its normal activities and was dangerous for the Congolese people.
In a statement sent to the BBC and signed by chief-of-staff Brig-Gen Bosco Ntaganda, the high command said Gen Nkunda's "bad leadership" and "bad governance" had distracted the CNDP from undertaking its normal activities.
The high command had also resolved to set up an ad-hoc "transitional council" to run the group until further notice, the statement said.The high command had also resolved to set up an ad-hoc "transitional council" to run the group until further notice, the statement said.
The council would ensure that efforts to return peace to North Kivu province continued, and would work with mediators to make this happen, it added. A spokesman for the high command, Kamanzi Desire, said the council would ensure that the peace process continued.
In recent weeks, Gen Nkunda has reportedly been in Rutshuru, a town in North Kivu, along with about a battalion of his troops. "The new leadership has pledged before CNDP members, the Congolese people and the international community to create favourable conditions for peace to return to eastern DR Congo with the help of the international community and Monuc (UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo)," he told BBC Afrique.
BBC African Great Lakes analyst Kassim Kayira says it is unclear whether they have actually dethroned Gen Nkunda, and how he will respond. In recent weeks, Gen Nkunda has reportedly been in Rutshuru, a town in North Kivu, along with a battalion of his troops.
It also leaves the peace talks in a difficult situation, as it is not known whether the negotiating team in Nairobi support Gen Nkunda or not, he adds. Correspondents say it is not clear what the alleged ousting of Gen Nkunda means for the people of eastern DR Congo.
If the CNDP splits, it could just mean another rebel group is added to a deadly cocktail of armed militias, they say.
However, Gen Nkunda is accused of committing war crimes against the population, so his removal could mean a rare bit of good news for the local people, they add.