Army, rebels clash in DRC
2008-11-17 12:07
Goma - The UN says the Congolese army and rebels have engaged in some of the worst clashes in a week despite the rebel leader's promise to support a cease-fire.
Peacekeeping mission spokesperson Jean-Paul Dietrich says there was no immediate word on casualties from Sunday night's fighting in Riwindi.
Riwindi is about 125km north of eastern Congo's provincial capital, Goma.
Earlier Sunday, Congo's main rebel leader promised a UN envoy he would support a cease-fire and UN efforts to end fighting.
Laurent Nkunda launched a rebellion in 2004 that he claims is to protect ethnic Tutsis from Hutu militias who fled to Congo after Rwanda's 1994 genocide.
But critics say Nkunda is more interested in power and the country's mineral wealth.
- AP