UPDF BATTLES BUNIA REBELS
MONTHS of mounting tension between the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers in Bunia and the Rwanda-backed Union for Patriotic Congolese (UPC) rebels of Thomas Lubanga exploded yesterday.<br>
BY EMMY ALLIO
MONTHS of mounting tension between the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers in Bunia and the Rwanda-backed Union for Patriotic Congolese (UPC) rebels of Thomas Lubanga exploded yesterday.
After about five hours of fierce running battles, the UPDF drove the UPC fighters out of Bunia town.
A source in Bunia said sporadic shelling by UPDF tanks and long-range artillery kept Bunia residents indoors most of the day.
The source said he saw the bodies of eight UPC soldiers on the main street.
Other sources said UPC fighters fled towards Mogwallo and Fataki, about 50km and 60km respectively from Bunia.
Top government sources said at around 11.00am, troops and equipment from a foreign country arrived in Mogwallo and Fataki to reinforce the UPC troops.
The sources said more foreign support was expected in the two towns where UPC has constructed airfields.
Ugandan security sources yesterday said fighting started when UPC attacked the only UPDF detachment at Delle, 5km on the Bunia-Kasenyi road, at 5:30am .
“At 7.30am, UPC forces attacked the main UPDF barracks at Bunia airport, making it impossible to send reinforcement to Delle,†the sources said.
“We had to react quickly to save the situation. We have now taken control of Bunia town and we shall remain in control until the implementation of the Ituri Pacification Commission,†a senior Ugandan security officer said.
Army spokesman Maj. Shaban Bantariza said the UPDF fought in self-defence and had to “act faster when information reached us that foreign forces were arriving to reinforce UPC forces.â€
Bantariza said, “We are still investigating to ascertain the strength of the foreign force.â€
The head of the External Security Organisation (ESO), David Pulkol, was yesterday quoted in The New Vision as saying UPC was a mere smoke-screen for the Rwandan army.
On Wednesday, the UPC warned of serious consequences if the UPDF did not quit Delle.
Lubanga’s chief security adviser, Beiza Bamuhiga, accused the UPDF soldiers at Delle of supporting the anti-UPC coalition force, the Front for the Integration and Pacification of Ituri.
One of the three FIPI leaders is the former UPC defence minister, Kawa Mandro, who is also the paramount chief of the Hema tribe.
The UN observer mission in Congo (MONUC) said UPC and FIPI clashes in Bogoro on February 27, resulted in the death of over 400 civilians.
Last weekend, Lubanga lost the vital customs towns of Aru and Mahagi to the former sector commander for the border region, Jerome Kakawavu Bakonde, who declared his independence from UPC. He proclaimed himself the head of a new group, the Congolese People’s Armed Forces.
“My forces are on alert and ready to help UPDF to stop the UPC nuisance in Ituri,†Kakawavu told The New Vision.
The AFP, a French news agency reporting from Kigali, quoted UPC officials as saying fighting began around 5:45am.
“During the night, the Ugandans took up position all over the town and in the morning, they started shelling,†a UPC source added.
President Yoweri Museveni’s military assistant, Brig. Kale Kaihura who is in Bunia, denied allegations by UPC that UPDF began the fighting.
“That is absolute rubbish. The UPC attacked our positions. We have been reacting to their artillery fire,†Kaihura said
The UPC accused Uganda of using tanks and long-range mortars, while Kaihura said the UPC was using anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft guns, firing them horizontally.
The chief of Military Intelligence, Col. Noble Mayombo, said Uganda was committed to the implementation of the IPC where all tribes and interest groups in Ituri province must participate. UPC has been opposed to the IPC.
“UPC has been doing everything in order to frustrate the implementation of IPC. Uganda supports the position where every tribe and every group must participate,†Mayombo said.
He said the Luanda and Dar es Salaam agreements say the UPDF will pull out of Ituri after the implementation of IPC which aims at putting in place a Congolese force and administration. Ends
MONTHS of mounting tension between the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers in Bunia and the Rwanda-backed Union for Patriotic Congolese (UPC) rebels of Thomas Lubanga exploded yesterday.
After about five hours of fierce running battles, the UPDF drove the UPC fighters out of Bunia town.
A source in Bunia said sporadic shelling by UPDF tanks and long-range artillery kept Bunia residents indoors most of the day.
The source said he saw the bodies of eight UPC soldiers on the main street.
Other sources said UPC fighters fled towards Mogwallo and Fataki, about 50km and 60km respectively from Bunia.
Top government sources said at around 11.00am, troops and equipment from a foreign country arrived in Mogwallo and Fataki to reinforce the UPC troops.
The sources said more foreign support was expected in the two towns where UPC has constructed airfields.
Ugandan security sources yesterday said fighting started when UPC attacked the only UPDF detachment at Delle, 5km on the Bunia-Kasenyi road, at 5:30am .
“At 7.30am, UPC forces attacked the main UPDF barracks at Bunia airport, making it impossible to send reinforcement to Delle,†the sources said.
“We had to react quickly to save the situation. We have now taken control of Bunia town and we shall remain in control until the implementation of the Ituri Pacification Commission,†a senior Ugandan security officer said.
Army spokesman Maj. Shaban Bantariza said the UPDF fought in self-defence and had to “act faster when information reached us that foreign forces were arriving to reinforce UPC forces.â€
Bantariza said, “We are still investigating to ascertain the strength of the foreign force.â€
The head of the External Security Organisation (ESO), David Pulkol, was yesterday quoted in The New Vision as saying UPC was a mere smoke-screen for the Rwandan army.
On Wednesday, the UPC warned of serious consequences if the UPDF did not quit Delle.
Lubanga’s chief security adviser, Beiza Bamuhiga, accused the UPDF soldiers at Delle of supporting the anti-UPC coalition force, the Front for the Integration and Pacification of Ituri.
One of the three FIPI leaders is the former UPC defence minister, Kawa Mandro, who is also the paramount chief of the Hema tribe.
The UN observer mission in Congo (MONUC) said UPC and FIPI clashes in Bogoro on February 27, resulted in the death of over 400 civilians.
Last weekend, Lubanga lost the vital customs towns of Aru and Mahagi to the former sector commander for the border region, Jerome Kakawavu Bakonde, who declared his independence from UPC. He proclaimed himself the head of a new group, the Congolese People’s Armed Forces.
“My forces are on alert and ready to help UPDF to stop the UPC nuisance in Ituri,†Kakawavu told The New Vision.
The AFP, a French news agency reporting from Kigali, quoted UPC officials as saying fighting began around 5:45am.
“During the night, the Ugandans took up position all over the town and in the morning, they started shelling,†a UPC source added.
President Yoweri Museveni’s military assistant, Brig. Kale Kaihura who is in Bunia, denied allegations by UPC that UPDF began the fighting.
“That is absolute rubbish. The UPC attacked our positions. We have been reacting to their artillery fire,†Kaihura said
The UPC accused Uganda of using tanks and long-range mortars, while Kaihura said the UPC was using anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft guns, firing them horizontally.
The chief of Military Intelligence, Col. Noble Mayombo, said Uganda was committed to the implementation of the IPC where all tribes and interest groups in Ituri province must participate. UPC has been opposed to the IPC.
“UPC has been doing everything in order to frustrate the implementation of IPC. Uganda supports the position where every tribe and every group must participate,†Mayombo said.
He said the Luanda and Dar es Salaam agreements say the UPDF will pull out of Ituri after the implementation of IPC which aims at putting in place a Congolese force and administration. Ends