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Congo city panics as rebels near | Congo city panics as rebels near |
(29 minutes later) | |
People are pouring into Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as Tutsi rebels battling the army near the city. | |
A BBC reporter says thousands already displaced to the north of Goma are on the move after seeing troops retreat. | |
In the city, the UN has relocated civilian personnel from its HQ near the airport to a base near Lake Kivu. | |
Meanwhile, the 15-member UN Security Council will be briefed on the latest situation in an emergency meeting on Wednesday evening. | |
Panic | |
Our correspondent says there was a "stampede" in Goma, as thousands of displaced people poured into the city on the third day of fierce fighting in the area. | |
Congolese soldiers withdrawing from the village of Kibumba, 30 km north of Goma, also retreated to the city, creating a panic in its population, our correspondent adds. | |
Earlier in Kibumba, our reporter saw an exchange of fire across the Rwandan border. Rwanda denies claims it is backing the rebels. | |
See detailed map of the area | See detailed map of the area |
Rwanda's foreign minister said Congolese troops had fired into Rwanda, but its soldiers had not pursued them. | |
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has spoken to Congolese President Joseph Kabila and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and he sent envoys to both capitals. | |
Both President Kabila and the UN have called for more troops to be sent to DR Congo, where the UN has a 17,000 troops - the world's largest peacekeeping force. | |
Eastern DR Congo's hellIn pictures: Thousands flee fighting | Eastern DR Congo's hellIn pictures: Thousands flee fighting |
UN spokesman Madnodge Mounoubai, in the capital, Kinshasa, said the UN was not evacuating Goma. | |
He said civilian personnel were being moved to the lakeside site, a camp for demobilised soldiers, because there were better facilities for the UN staff there including water and food. | He said civilian personnel were being moved to the lakeside site, a camp for demobilised soldiers, because there were better facilities for the UN staff there including water and food. |
On Tuesday night, General Laurent Nkunda's fighters took the town of Rutshuru, further north near the Ugandan border, giving the rebels control of a long stretch of the road to Goma. | On Tuesday night, General Laurent Nkunda's fighters took the town of Rutshuru, further north near the Ugandan border, giving the rebels control of a long stretch of the road to Goma. |
Neighbouring Rwanda has been accused of backing Gen Nkunda, who left the army and launched his own low-level rebellion after DR Congo's five-year conflict officially ended in 2003. | Neighbouring Rwanda has been accused of backing Gen Nkunda, who left the army and launched his own low-level rebellion after DR Congo's five-year conflict officially ended in 2003. |
'Accusing us wrongly' | |
On Tuesday evening, Congolese President Joseph Kabila sent two envoys to Kigali to discuss the crisis. But Rwanda continues to deny it has anything to do with the conflict. | On Tuesday evening, Congolese President Joseph Kabila sent two envoys to Kigali to discuss the crisis. But Rwanda continues to deny it has anything to do with the conflict. |
"They have been accusing us but wrongly. Rwanda has never intervened in the Congo ever since we left on 5 October 2002," Joseph Mutaboba, the Rwandan president's special envoy to the Great Lakes, told the BBC's Network Africa programme. | "They have been accusing us but wrongly. Rwanda has never intervened in the Congo ever since we left on 5 October 2002," Joseph Mutaboba, the Rwandan president's special envoy to the Great Lakes, told the BBC's Network Africa programme. |
Rwanda has twice invaded its much larger neighbour, saying it wants to stop Hutu rebels from operating there. | Rwanda has twice invaded its much larger neighbour, saying it wants to stop Hutu rebels from operating there. |
It claims that two rebel brigades are fighting with the Congolese army. | It claims that two rebel brigades are fighting with the Congolese army. |
Mr Kabila has appealed for a multi-national force to help restore order. | Mr Kabila has appealed for a multi-national force to help restore order. |
Gen Nkunda says he is fighting to protect the minority Tutsi community from the Hutu militia which carried out the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. | Gen Nkunda says he is fighting to protect the minority Tutsi community from the Hutu militia which carried out the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. |
But Alistair Dutton, Christian Aid humanitarian manager for Africa, told the BBC that the fighting was also for control of resources. | But Alistair Dutton, Christian Aid humanitarian manager for Africa, told the BBC that the fighting was also for control of resources. |
Eastern DR Congo is rich in gold and other minerals, such as coltan, used in mobile phones. | Eastern DR Congo is rich in gold and other minerals, such as coltan, used in mobile phones. |
A peace deal was signed in Goma between the government and various rebel groups at the end of January. | A peace deal was signed in Goma between the government and various rebel groups at the end of January. |
Although he signed the deal, Gen Nkunda - whose main strongholds are in Kichanga in the Masisi Mountains and Bunagana town bordering Uganda - has always refused to disarm while Rwandan Hutu rebels still operate in the area. | Although he signed the deal, Gen Nkunda - whose main strongholds are in Kichanga in the Masisi Mountains and Bunagana town bordering Uganda - has always refused to disarm while Rwandan Hutu rebels still operate in the area. |
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Are you in Democratic Republic of Congo? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you in Democratic Republic of Congo? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |