Congo army kills 32 militia in fight for town

SEJABU – Congolese army troops backed by UN peacekeepers killed 32 rebels in heavy weekend fighting for an eastern town against a militia force with child soldiers in its ranks, officials said on Sunday.

Four government troops were killed out of 3 000 who with 1 000 Bangladeshi, Pakistani and South African peacekeepers are on an offensive to try to pacify the violent northeast of Democratic Republic of Congo ahead of elections on July 30. Their objective at the weekend was the town of Tchei, a rebel stronghold in Ituri district where militia violence has killed tens of thousands since 1999.Congolese government troops, supported by UN helicopters, pushed the rebel fighters back from Tchei on Saturday.But the militia counter-attacked on Sunday, triggering several hours of fighting during which heavy machinegun and mortar fire could be heard from hills overlooking the town.”The result so far is that on the enemy side, there are 32 dead.On our side, four have been killed,” Congolese army spokesman Capt.Olivier Mputu told Reuters, The UN military spokesman in eastern Congo, Hans-Jakob Reichen, said UN helicopters flew in fresh ammunition to the Congolese soldiers and evacuated 12 of their wounded.”The Congolese army has entered Tchei and are holding parts of the town.It’s not completely stabilised though,” he said.Congolese officers reported that children were fighting in the ranks of the militia.The rebels, thought by the United Nations to number 2 000, have continued to fight against government and UN forces two months ahead of July 30 national elections meant to pacify the mineral-rich but war-ravaged African country.Congo’s army, which is drawn from former government forces and the rebels they fought against during the country’s five-year war, is spearheading the operation against the militia stronghold.UN peacekeepers, advancing in armoured trucks and by foot, supported the 3 000 government soldiers, most of whom are poorly paid and sometimes fight in flip-flops.Reichen said Pakistani peacekeepers had fought the militia on Saturday and the rest of the blue helmets would continue their advance on the town.The offensive is the latest attempt by the UN’s biggest peacekeeping force – which has nearly 17 000 soldiers and policemen but is stretched thin across the vast country – to improve security across Congo before the first free polls in four decades.- Nampa-ReutersTheir objective at the weekend was the town of Tchei, a rebel stronghold in Ituri district where militia violence has killed tens of thousands since 1999.Congolese government troops, supported by UN helicopters, pushed the rebel fighters back from Tchei on Saturday.But the militia counter-attacked on Sunday, triggering several hours of fighting during which heavy machinegun and mortar fire could be heard from hills overlooking the town.”The result so far is that on the enemy side, there are 32 dead.On our side, four have been killed,” Congolese army spokesman Capt.Olivier Mputu told Reuters, The UN military spokesman in eastern Congo, Hans-Jakob Reichen, said UN helicopters flew in fresh ammunition to the Congolese soldiers and evacuated 12 of their wounded.”The Congolese army has entered Tchei and are holding parts of the town.It’s not completely stabilised though,” he said.Congolese officers reported that children were fighting in the ranks of the militia.The rebels, thought by the United Nations to number 2 000, have continued to fight against government and UN forces two months ahead of July 30 national elections meant to pacify the mineral-rich but war-ravaged African country.Congo’s army, which is drawn from former government forces and the rebels they fought against during the country’s five-year war, is spearheading the operation against the militia stronghold.UN peacekeepers, advancing in armoured trucks and by foot, supported the 3 000 government soldiers, most of whom are poorly paid and sometimes fight in flip-flops.Reichen said Pakistani peacekeepers had fought the militia on Saturday and the rest of the blue helmets would continue their advance on the town.The offensive is the latest attempt by the UN’s biggest peacekeeping force – which has nearly 17 000 soldiers and policemen but is stretched thin across the vast country – to improve security across Congo before the first free polls in four decades.- Nampa-Reuters