Congo rebels capture major military base

Troops loyal to Congolese Gen. Laurent Nkunda’s Congrès National pour la Défense du Peuple (CNDP) Wednesday morning overran the important military camp of Rumangabo causing heavy damage in both men and material. Reports reaching The New Times from the eastern Congolese town of Goma speak of panic spreading in the town on reports that the region’s most important military barracks had been captured by the rebels. An estimated 100 government troops allegedly died in the attack and tonnes of military hardware have fallen into the rebels’ hands, including four Katyusha rocket launchers, an assortment of anti aircraft guns, mortar launchers and vehicles. Our source said that commanders of the government soldiers (FARDC) locked up in an emergency meeting midmorning following the major setback before taking the route towards Rumangabo barracks to organise a counter attack. “All the commanders of the 8th military region have left for Rumangabo, they are supposed to link up with FDLR troops under the command of Lt. Col. Ndinzimihigo in Rutare,” she continued to sound the alarm that if Rumangabo remains in the hands of the CNDP rebels, the Rutchuru-Goma route would be cut off and supplies would not pass through. Ndinzimihigo, whose real names are Marc Habimana, is the commander of one of FDLR’s battalions fighting alongside the FARDC. “We are now stocking up on food because we do not know how long this conflict will last,” said our source. Over 100,000 people are said to have been displaced by the renewed fighting Attempts to get spokesman of the UN peacekeeping forces (MONUC) as well as the rebel side were futile. MONUC spokesman Michel Bonnardeaux’ phone directed the caller to a voicemail message while the rebel’s new spokesman, Bertrand Bisimwa, said he was in a meeting and would call later. Fresh attempts to raise him again failed. But a very reliable source revealed that the conflict took a new turn following the visit to Goma by the DRC army chief, Gen. Dieudonée Kayembe. It added that Kayembe met with FDLR top commander, Maj. Gen Sylvestre Mudacumura, late last month to chart out a joint operation against Nkunda. In exchange, the DRC would not disarm FDLR as stipulated in the Nairobi communiqué. Rwanda yesterday condemned the new alliance between the DRC army and FDLR rebels who are said to be remnants of the Ex-FAR and Interahamwe militia who spearheaded the 1994 Genocide of Tutsis. Ends