DR.Congo army retake control of airport after UN deaths
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Mon Apr 5, 8:13 am ET
KINSHASA (AFP) – The Congolese army has retaken control of the airport in a major city in northwest Democratic Republic of Congo, a day after two UN personnel died in clashes, officials said Monday.
The DR Congo military retook control of the airport in Mbandaka, the main town in Equateur province, where fighting took place Sunday afternoon, an advisor to the provincial governor Guy Inenge said.
On Sunday government forces had exchanged fire with several dozen tribal insurgents in Mbandaka and a UN soldier from Ghana was killed in the clash.
Communications Minister Lambert Mende, who is also government spokesman, said that a local civilian member of the UN mission in the DR Congo, MONUC, "died of a heart attack" during the violence.
The gun battle erupted after security personnel found the rebels in a boat from the capital Kinshasa, and insurgents attacked the airport.
The fighting pitted the DR Congolese army (FARDC) against about 100 members of the Enyele tribe, according to Inenge.
"I think there were more casualties on their side, apart from the MONUC soldier who died at the airport and the Congolese employee of MONUC who died of a heart attack," Mende said.
"The situation is under control (of the FARDC)," he added. "The governor is reassuring people that they can return home safely."
A member of a local rights group, who asked not to be named, said that "the situation calmed down during the night. The FARDC have regained the airport and soldiers are circulating everywhere in the town."
No source contacted by AFP was able to give a casualty toll from the past 24 hours.
Tens of thousands of people left Equateur province after tribal fighting broke out in October and the UN and Congolese army sent reinforcements to the densely forested area, eventually restoring state control in December.
The tribal violence mainly pitted the Enyele, led by a witch doctor, against the Munzaya people, and erupted as a dispute over fishing rights in ponds at a village called Dondo.
According to officials, the fighting spread to several other villages and claimed at least 270 lives, mostly those of villagers. The clashes induced about 187,000 people to flee, including 109,000 in the neighbouring Republic of Congo and 18,000 in the Central African Republic.
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Mon Apr 5, 8:13 am ET
KINSHASA (AFP) – The Congolese army has retaken control of the airport in a major city in northwest Democratic Republic of Congo, a day after two UN personnel died in clashes, officials said Monday.
The DR Congo military retook control of the airport in Mbandaka, the main town in Equateur province, where fighting took place Sunday afternoon, an advisor to the provincial governor Guy Inenge said.
On Sunday government forces had exchanged fire with several dozen tribal insurgents in Mbandaka and a UN soldier from Ghana was killed in the clash.
Communications Minister Lambert Mende, who is also government spokesman, said that a local civilian member of the UN mission in the DR Congo, MONUC, "died of a heart attack" during the violence.
The gun battle erupted after security personnel found the rebels in a boat from the capital Kinshasa, and insurgents attacked the airport.
The fighting pitted the DR Congolese army (FARDC) against about 100 members of the Enyele tribe, according to Inenge.
"I think there were more casualties on their side, apart from the MONUC soldier who died at the airport and the Congolese employee of MONUC who died of a heart attack," Mende said.
"The situation is under control (of the FARDC)," he added. "The governor is reassuring people that they can return home safely."
A member of a local rights group, who asked not to be named, said that "the situation calmed down during the night. The FARDC have regained the airport and soldiers are circulating everywhere in the town."
No source contacted by AFP was able to give a casualty toll from the past 24 hours.
Tens of thousands of people left Equateur province after tribal fighting broke out in October and the UN and Congolese army sent reinforcements to the densely forested area, eventually restoring state control in December.
The tribal violence mainly pitted the Enyele, led by a witch doctor, against the Munzaya people, and erupted as a dispute over fishing rights in ponds at a village called Dondo.
According to officials, the fighting spread to several other villages and claimed at least 270 lives, mostly those of villagers. The clashes induced about 187,000 people to flee, including 109,000 in the neighbouring Republic of Congo and 18,000 in the Central African Republic.
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