DR Congo soldiers flee into Uganda

Mar 27, 2006

THREE Congolese soldiers fled into Uganda on Friday following heavy fighting between their units and a new rebel militia commanded by Bosco Ntaganda in the east.

By Kyomuhendo Muhanga

THREE Congolese soldiers fled into Uganda on Friday following heavy fighting between their units and a new rebel militia commanded by Bosco Ntaganda in the east.

Military sources said the militias confronted the government troops in the wee hours to dislodge them from Buguma and Ngeti areas.

UPDF 2nd Division spokesman Lt. Tabaro Kiconco on Saturday said, “Our forces at Makondo in Rwebisengo in Ntoroko county in Bundibugyo intercepted and disarmed them.”

He said plans were underway to hand them over to the Congolese authorities.

A UPDF officer at Makondo said the soldiers crossed with three assault rifles, a rocket-propelled gun with a fuse and one G2 gun with 142 bullets.

Kiconco said the army had increased its troops and military surveillance at the border with Congo on the axis of Lake Albert to check any suspected Ugandan dissidents.

He said the fighting was in the areas harbouring the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and suspected Peoples Redemption Army (PRA).

Late last year, about 80 ADF rebels were killed in Ituri forest by a combined force of Congolese government troops and UN peace-keepers in the DR Congo.

Ituri has for over 10 years harboured Rwandan Interahamwe militias and ADF, NARU and PRA rebels fighting Uganda.

Heavy fighting is reported in Rutchuru zone along the Kisoro axis as government troops supported by Mai Mai, Lendu and Hema militias combat the RCD-Goma rebels commanded by General Laurent Nkunda.

Some 37 Congolese, most of them children and women, on Thursday crossed into Uganda through Bunagana border fleeing heavy fighting in Rutchuru in North Kivu.

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