KINSHASA: United Nations attack helicopters hit rebels positions in eastern Congo yesterday after insurgents gained ground in heavy fighting, the UN said.
The clashes to the south of the town Kibumba mean the rebels have got to within 30km of Goma, the closest they have been to North Kivu’s provincial capital since a rebellion began there eight months ago.
North Kivu Governor Julien Paluku said the army retreated to the southern outskirts of the town after M23 rebels received support from neighbouring Rwanda.
Rwanda rejected the accusations, the latest in a string of charges by Kinshasa, and called on both the army and the rebels to halt the fighting as shells were landing in its territory.
More than five million people are estimated to have died from violence, hunger and disease in wars in Congo since 1998. It is the deadliest conflict since World War Two.
United Nations experts say they have evidence of Rwanda’s rebel support and want the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Rwandan officials as a result.
“The Rwandan army came across the border behind our troops, that’s why our troops withdrew,” Paluku said by telephone.
“The (rebels) are just a few kilometres away, so of course Goma is under threat, we can’t hide that,” he said, adding that government troops were reorganising at Kilimanyoka, 12 km north of the city.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Congo said army units had come under heavy weapons fire since early yesterday morning, forcing civilians to flee and leading to UN attack helicopters being dispatched to strike rebels positions south of Kibumba.
“So far ten missions have been carried out by our attack helicopters,” the UN said in a statement. The UN has a mandate to protect civilians and support government troops when they need it.
No casualty figures have been given by any force.
Reuters
