DRC rivals withdraw forces

2006-08-22 21:42

Kinshasa - Forces loyal to Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila and vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba signed a deal late on Tuesday to withdraw from the centre of Kinshasa after two days of heavy artillery fighting, said the United Nations.

The deal was signed by representatives of Kabila and Bemba, DRC army, the UN mission Monuc, European force Eufor and European police mission Eupol, meeting as a "working group" at Monuc's Kinshasa headquarters.

According to the agreement, the working group decided on several "actions with immediate effect", including "the order for all troops of the DRC armed forces deployed in the capital (to return) to their initial positions".

The fighting erupted on Sunday between troops loyal to incumbent President Joseph Kabila and those protecting Bemba.

Fighting on Tuesday in the centre of Kinshasa left at least three dead, while witnesses said they had seen bodies of "several civilians".

First free multi-party ballots

Monuc said that the clashes Sunday left at least five people dead and 11 injured.

They were triggered by the release of provisional first round presidential results which gave Kabila 44.8% of the vote against 20% for Bemba, a former rebel leader.

The two men must now contest a second round run-off scheduled for October 29.

The historic parliamentary and presidential elections on July 30 were the war torn country's first free multi-party ballots since the former Zaire won independence from Belgium 46 years ago.

- AFP