DRC Troops Retake Airport After Rebel Attack Skip to main content

DRC Troops Retake Airport After Rebel Attack

Congo_UNMONUC
Photo: AFP
UN Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo and DRC soldiers get ready for deployment (file photo)

Government forces have regained control of an airport in the northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, a day after it was seized by rebels.


Fighters from the Enyele tribe seized the airport in the town of Mbandaka during a surprise attack early Sunday.

Congolese officials say army troops backed by U.N. peacekeepers retook the facility after heavy fighting. A peacekeeper from Ghana and a U.N. civilian worker died in the clashes.

Mbandaka is capital of Congo's Equateur province. The army sent reinforcements to the area last year to restore order following clashes between the Enyele and the Monzaya tribe over fishing and farming rights.

Aid agencies say that fighting killed more than 100 people and displaced about 200,000 from their homes.

Many of the refugees crossed the border into the neighboring Republic of Congo.

Officials say about 100 Enyele fighters were involved in Sunday's attack on Mbandaka.

A spokesman for the U.N. mission in the DRC said the rebels arrived by boat on the Congo River and first attacked the governor's residence before overrunning the airport. Army troops and peacekeepers continued chasing the rebels on Monday.

The DRC's government is still striving to assert control over the country seven years after the end of a bloody civil war. The U.N. force of 20,000 assists the army but is facing pressure to leave within the next year.

VOA NEWS
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chronology of the Press in Burma

1836 – 1846 * During this period the first English-language newspaper was launched under British-ruled Tenasserim, southern  Burma . The first ethnic Karen-language and Burmese-language newspapers also appear in this period.     March 3, 1836 —The first English-language newspaper,  The Maulmain Chronicle , appears in the city of Moulmein in British-ruled Tenasserim. The paper, first published by a British official named E.A. Blundell, continued up until the 1950s. September 1842 —Tavoy’s  Hsa-tu-gaw  (the  Morning Star ), a monthly publication in the Karen-language of  Sgaw ,  is established by the Baptist mission. It is the first ethnic language newspaper. Circulation reached about three hundred until its publication ceased in 1849. January 1843 —The Baptist mission publishes a monthly newspaper, the Christian  Dhamma  Thadinsa  (the  Religious Herald ), in ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera

The Life Story of A Distinguished And Outstanding Bhikkhu The Most Venerable Saradawpharagree Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera The Buddhist missionary Saradaw Ashin U Chandramani was endowed with great gifts and led a famous and long life. He was a very well known, distinguished and outstanding Bhikkhu Mahathera. While living in the Kushinagar Monastery, a place close to where the Lord Buddha had passed away to Nirvana, the Government of India had offered, and he had accepted, the highest, most honourable and respected title "Guru Guru MahaGuru". He became the first ever President of all Buddhists in India.A World Buddhist Conference took place in Kathmandu during the reign of King Mahindra of Nepal. The Conference was very well attended by over one hundred thousand Buddhists from various parts of the world and it was opened by King Mahindra himself. As requested by the King, Saradawpharagree blessed all the participants with the power of Triple Gems...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thai penis whitening trend raises eyebrows

Image copyright LELUXHOSPITAL Image caption Authorities warn the procedure could be quite painful A supposed trend of penis whitening has captivated Thailand in recent days and left it asking if the country's beauty industry is taking things too far. Skin whitening is nothing new in many Asian countries, where darker skin is often associated with outdoor labour, therefore, being poorer. But even so, when a clip of a clinic's latest intriguing procedure was posted online, it quickly went viral. Thailand's health ministry has since issued a warning over the procedure. The BBC Thai service spoke to one patient who had undergone the treatment, who told them: "I wanted to feel more confident in my swimming briefs". The 30-year-old said his first session of several was two months ago, and he had since seen a definite change in the shade. 'What for?' The original Facebook post from the clinic offering the treatment, which uses lasers to break do...
1 comment
Read more