'Friendly fire' in DRC

2008-11-18 16:09

Kinshasa - Congo government forces looted villages and attacked local people on Tuesday after a "friendly fire" incident with an allied militia when both were meant to be fighting opposition rebels, the militia's leader said.

General Lafontaine said from the region that a "tragic error" had led to the clash between his militia and the army in villages near the strategic eastern town of Kanyabayonga, which is now under threat from rebel fighters.

Lafontaine said government troops were "furious" after being fired on by his own men and "this morning started to attack the population and to fire shots in Kirumba and Kayna. It is total confusion". The militia leader said there had been acts of looting.

"I don't understand this army which loots and attacks Congolese instead of going after the enemy." Lafontaine said he had told his men to stop the troops' looting.

Lafontaine said his fighters had been preparing an ambush on Laurent Nkunda's advancing rebels when "government troops who were being redeployed entered the zone and we opened fire. It was not premeditated, it was a monumental error," said the general.

The militia fighters also clashed with army troops last week as the army attempted to loot Kanyabayonga.

The UN Mission in DR Congo (MONUC) confirmed that there had been fighting between the militia and government forces near Kirumba, a district north of Kanyanbayonga, a town of 50 000 and strategic hub for most of the north of the disputed Nord-Kivu province.

Local officials also spoke of army troops firing guns through the night in districts near Kanyabayonga.

MONUC spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Paul Dietrich said the fighting had erupted at Kirumba.

A local administration official said that there had been armed incidents involving the army through the night at Kirumba and nearby Kayna.

The shooting had sparked a new exodus of villagers into forests, the official in Kirumba said in a telephone interview.

The official said soldiers appeared to be moving with their families but it was not clear if they were withdrawing ahead of a rebel advance. Fighters loyal to renegade general Laurent Nkunda were reported to be about 40km to the south.

"Light arms fire was heard all through the night, apparently shots in the air. All of the population has fled into the forest, only a few administrative officials are left and they are hiding in the town," said the official.

- AFP