Congo-Kinshasa: Rebels Capture Major Military Base
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The New Times (Kigali)
9 October 2008
Posted to the web 9 October 2008
Kennedy Ndahiro
Kigali
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.
Relevant Links
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.
Read comments. Write your own.
Everytime you speak of a 'Hima' empire you show yourself to be a fool. How low have African people come? We make up stupid conspiracies to justify or to rationalize why we are living in a failed state. Who are these rich super-powerful 'Hima'? You are a fool being chased by a ghost that does not exist. The Bahima are a small group of people living in Uganda. The majority live in desperate poverty. Are these the super human rich powerful people you have on your mind? I was born in Congo and I know… [Read Full Text]
This conflict is not about ethnicity. It is about greed. General Nkunda is a fool who speaks for nobody. Why should innocent people have to suffer for the ambitions of a few? Poor people of every ethnic background have to sit back and watch as their country is thrown into more chaos. People of good conscience around the world should demand an end to this madness. If General Nkunda is protecting the Tutsis, why does he seem so interested in mining? Do Tutsis live in the mines? We need African Unity now before… [Read Full Text]
The first question one will ask is to know , who are really the CNDP? How do they gain momentum, where do they recruit their fighters from,their logistic capabilities all these are questions which any normal reader of this story will ask himself. Mr Nkunda or gen as you may wish to call him,present himself to be a Congoleese Tutsi who want to protect the Other Tutsis in the east of Congo,my question is;those tutsis in Kinshasa or Lubumbashi who does protect them?are they less Tutsi than those in the east part of the DRC? The Drc has mainy tribes… [Read Full Text]
My friend Cedrick I wonder how u ask hw CNDP is being armed, u need know hw FDRL is being armed if u know then that is hw CNDP is being armed. Another thing u are asking why Tutsiz in other regions like Kinshasha are protected I think FDRL doesn`t operate as far as those areas and if they operated as far as those regions and kill Tutsiz in my View Gen Nkunda would extend his first line of denfense like he mentioned recently that he may take the war to Kinshasha b`se Kabila has sold a country to FDRL… [Read Full Text]
we are astonished by the brainmasters of what occurs here in the Eastern Party of our country are lying unscrapulously in the front of the world.I'm from the province of kivu and think beeing objective and free in my though and analyse.The causes of current war are known and the so-colled gen. is a tool of implementation of evil plan against our country.Since 1996 conflicts are endemic and are led by the one sole ethnic group against indigenious tribes in order to set up what will the monolytic empire where the criteria of well fare is to belong to the… [Read Full Text]
Thanks for the good comments eye opener.
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Dear Ndahiro; Why should not be fair in your reporting? Why are you telling the world that FDLR still is fighting side by side with the Congolese Army? Is this a new strategy filled with lies that aimed at supporting the Rwandese case? Please be fair in you report. See how you put it down "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."
This is a lie that I have… [Read Full Text]