UN helicopters, troops open fire in eastern DR Congo

KINSHASA – United Nations helicopters and peacekeepers yesterday opened fire against mutineer soldiers after coming under attack in and around the volatile eastern town of Sake in Democratic Republic of Congo, a spokesman for the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC) said.

Forces protesting army reforms who are loyal to a rebel general seized much of Sake on Sunday in heavy firefights with government soldiers, putting thousands of civilians to flight. On Monday, the MONUC military spokesman in the eastern town of Goma said: “Monuc troops were threatened by effective fire by 81st and 83rd brigades (dissident troops loyal to renegade general Laurent Nkunda).””Attack helicopters fired on 81st and 83rd soldiers,” in Sake and a few kilometres east in Kasingazi, he added.”Ground troops have also opened fire on both fronts.”The rebel troop advance had been stopped but shooting was continuing, Dalal said.There were no MONUC casualties, he added.There were no casualty figures for the rebels.Sake, partly under UN control, is located some 25 kilometres northwest of the town of Goma, capital of DRC’s restive northeastern Goma province.On Sunday, MONUC and humanitarian agencies reported that between 15 000 and 20 000 civilians had fled their homes due to the fighting there.Nampa-AFPOn Monday, the MONUC military spokesman in the eastern town of Goma said: “Monuc troops were threatened by effective fire by 81st and 83rd brigades (dissident troops loyal to renegade general Laurent Nkunda).””Attack helicopters fired on 81st and 83rd soldiers,” in Sake and a few kilometres east in Kasingazi, he added.”Ground troops have also opened fire on both fronts.”The rebel troop advance had been stopped but shooting was continuing, Dalal said.There were no MONUC casualties, he added.There were no casualty figures for the rebels.Sake, partly under UN control, is located some 25 kilometres northwest of the town of Goma, capital of DRC’s restive northeastern Goma province.On Sunday, MONUC and humanitarian agencies reported that between 15 000 and 20 000 civilians had fled their homes due to the fighting there.Nampa-AFP