Uganda probes DRC incursion

2007-12-20 07:20

Kampala - The Ugandan military has demanded a probe into an incursion by Congolese soldiers whom they shot for resisting arrest on suspicion of raping two teenagers.

Lieutenant Tabaro Kiconco, army spokesperson for Uganda's western region, told AFP that a joint military team from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) would investigate the incident, which occurred last Saturday.

"They crossed into our territory, raped two girls aged 14 and 15 at gunpoint and when we intervened after a tip-off, they tried to resist arrest and because they were armed we had no alternative but to shoot at them," he said.

Army spokesperson Major Felix Kulaije said two of the DRC soldiers were killed in the shootout, one was captured and another escaped.

The incident came as the two neighbours held talks aimed at restoring full diplomatic ties and easing border tensions.

In Kampala last week, they agreed to establish border committees to prevent the violence that erupts sporadically and has been exacerbated by mass refugee movements and a recent oil discovery in the area.

- SAPA