KINSHASA - Fighting erupted on Thursday in Butembo, northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between a Mayi-Mayi militia and the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie-Kisangani/Mouvement de liberation (RCD-K/ML), a rebel group allied to Kinshasa. "Fighting with heavy weaponry broke out yesterday and restarted early this morning," Rubain Lukambaka, a reporter for Radio Graben Butembo, told IRIN on Friday from the embattled town. RCD-K/ML authorities said that it was simply a matter of certain elements resisting a disarmament operation being conducted, and that the town remained fully under their control. Other reports said, however, that the Mayi-Mayi militia had taken control of Butembo. "Well armed and naked Mayi-Mayi fighters are roaming around town," Lukambaka said.
| "Huh huh! I'm naked! Wanna see me shoot somethin'?" |
"We do not yet have information on who the belligerents are, so we cannot say who is fighting," Hamadoun Toure, the MONUC spokesman, said in Kinshasa, capital of the DRC.
| "I have my clothes on. Wanna see me be ineffectual?" |
Speaking over local radio, RCD-K/ML operations commander Sivi Tshomwa called on all armed elements to lay down their weapons "because a military agreement had just been signed among [Congolese] belligerents for a unified national army".
| "You're gonna be the 1st Regiment of Naked Fussiliers!" |
|