•Pakistani peacekeeper injured

A MONUC base in DRC’s South Kivu Province was intensely bombarded Monday by FDLR rebels injuring a Pakistani peacekeeper.

Reports indicate that the fighting started last Saturday, when the rebels first attacked a locality reportedly 15 kms from a township called Mwenga, and later intensified early Monday morning until the afternoon.

"Our Base in Mwenga came under intense fire from small arms, rocket launchers and Machine Guns by FDLR elements from South and South Eastern direction.

Our troops retaliated immediately towards the incoming fire locations,” says Lt. Col. Jean-Paul Dietrich, MONUC’s Military Spokesperson.

"One FDLR element got killed in the exchange of fire. One MONUC peacekeeper from Pakistan got his right hand index finger ripped of. His condition is stable and he has been evacuated.”

According to Dietrich, the FDLR had also attacked the city centre of Mwenga earlier on Monday and several people were injured before a "strong MONUC APC patrol” came to the rescue.

Even though no other casualties have been reported so far, Dietrich noted that there had been reports "of looting and killing” coming from the area on Saturday.

Ends