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| UN urges end to DR Congo conflict | UN urges end to DR Congo conflict |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for an immediate end to fighting in the DR Congo, which he said was creating a "humanitarian catastrophe". | UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for an immediate end to fighting in the DR Congo, which he said was creating a "humanitarian catastrophe". |
| His comments came as the rebel leader whose forces are threatening the city of Goma declared a ceasefire. | His comments came as the rebel leader whose forces are threatening the city of Goma declared a ceasefire. |
| Thousands of people have been fleeing an upsurge in fighting in the east in recent days, pouring into Goma. | Thousands of people have been fleeing an upsurge in fighting in the east in recent days, pouring into Goma. |
| The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting to discuss how to respond to the growing crisis. | The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting to discuss how to respond to the growing crisis. |
| In a statement, Mr Ban said the intensifying conflict was "creating a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic dimensions and [threatening] dire consequences on a regional scale". | In a statement, Mr Ban said the intensifying conflict was "creating a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic dimensions and [threatening] dire consequences on a regional scale". |
| See detailed map of the area | See detailed map of the area |
| He said he was particularly concerned by reports of exchanges of fire across the border with Rwanda and that the "collapse of discipline" among DR Congo troops was "especially worrying". | He said he was particularly concerned by reports of exchanges of fire across the border with Rwanda and that the "collapse of discipline" among DR Congo troops was "especially worrying". |
| UN officials in Goma have said DR Congo soldiers in the city are nervous and out of control and have been firing into the air. | UN officials in Goma have said DR Congo soldiers in the city are nervous and out of control and have been firing into the air. |
| Mr Ban said he deplored the deliberate targeting of civilians and their use as human shields and appealed to "all those with influence" to restore an effective ceasefire. | Mr Ban said he deplored the deliberate targeting of civilians and their use as human shields and appealed to "all those with influence" to restore an effective ceasefire. |
| Troop support | Troop support |
| Correspondents say the 17,000-strong UN force in DR Congo - the world's largest - is stretched to breaking point. | Correspondents say the 17,000-strong UN force in DR Congo - the world's largest - is stretched to breaking point. |
| Both Congolese President Joseph Kabila and the head of the UN mission have called for more troops. | Both Congolese President Joseph Kabila and the head of the UN mission have called for more troops. |
| Exodus as terror spreadsIn pictures: Thousands flee fightingQ&A: DR Congo conflict class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5567&edition=1">Send us your comments | |
| The UN security council was meeting in an emergency session to discuss the crisis on Wednesday evening. | The UN security council was meeting in an emergency session to discuss the crisis on Wednesday evening. |
| UK Africa minister Mark Malloch-Brown said the world was mobilising to avoid a repeat of tragedies like the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when the international community looked on as hundreds of thousands were killed. | UK Africa minister Mark Malloch-Brown said the world was mobilising to avoid a repeat of tragedies like the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when the international community looked on as hundreds of thousands were killed. |
| "We all have those ghosts in the backs of our minds," he told the BBC. "We need to stop this before it escalates to anything like that level." | "We all have those ghosts in the backs of our minds," he told the BBC. "We need to stop this before it escalates to anything like that level." |
| France, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said it supported sending forces to the area. | France, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said it supported sending forces to the area. |
| French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said that up to 1,500 men could be deployed "in Europe's name within eight to 10 days". | French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said that up to 1,500 men could be deployed "in Europe's name within eight to 10 days". |
| British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would work with the UN and the EU to ensure the international forces in DR Congo were "properly supported". | British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would work with the UN and the EU to ensure the international forces in DR Congo were "properly supported". |
| Panic | Panic |
| Earlier, rebel leader General Laurent Nkunda told the BBC he was declaring a ceasefire in Goma and urged government troops to do the same. | Earlier, rebel leader General Laurent Nkunda told the BBC he was declaring a ceasefire in Goma and urged government troops to do the same. |
| Laurent Nkunda urged the government to declare a ceasefire tooGen Nkunda said: "We are not far from Goma but because there is a state of destabilisation in the town we decided in our movement to cease fire and unilaterally to proclaim a ceasefire." | Laurent Nkunda urged the government to declare a ceasefire tooGen Nkunda said: "We are not far from Goma but because there is a state of destabilisation in the town we decided in our movement to cease fire and unilaterally to proclaim a ceasefire." |
| He added that the goal of his forces was to protect his Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels, some of whom are accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide. | He added that the goal of his forces was to protect his Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels, some of whom are accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide. |
| A BBC correspondent in the city says there was a "stampede" as thousands of displaced people poured into Goma on the third day of fierce fighting in the area. | A BBC correspondent in the city says there was a "stampede" as thousands of displaced people poured into Goma on the third day of fierce fighting in the area. |
| Congolese soldiers withdrawing from the village of Kibumba, 30km (20 miles) to the north, also retreated to the city, creating a sense of panic among the population, our correspondent added. | Congolese soldiers withdrawing from the village of Kibumba, 30km (20 miles) to the north, also retreated to the city, creating a sense of panic among the population, our correspondent added. |
| Earlier in Kibumba, our reporter saw an exchange of fire across the Rwandan border. Rwanda denies claims it is backing the rebels. | Earlier in Kibumba, our reporter saw an exchange of fire across the Rwandan border. Rwanda denies claims it is backing the rebels. |
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| Footage of DR Congo government troops, displaced people and UN peacekeepers | Footage of DR Congo government troops, displaced people and UN peacekeepers |
| On Tuesday night, supporters of Gen Nkunda took the town of Rutshuru, near the Ugandan border. | On Tuesday night, supporters of Gen Nkunda took the town of Rutshuru, near the Ugandan border. |
| Neighbouring Rwanda has been accused of backing the general, who left the army and launched his own rebellion after DR Congo's five-year conflict officially ended in 2003. | Neighbouring Rwanda has been accused of backing the general, who left the army and launched his own rebellion after DR Congo's five-year conflict officially ended in 2003. |
| On Tuesday evening, Mr Kabila sent two envoys to Rwanda to discuss the crisis. | On Tuesday evening, Mr Kabila sent two envoys to Rwanda to discuss the crisis. |
| The Congolese deputy prime minister in charge of reconstruction, Emile Bongeli, told Congolese TV that the UN was turning a blind eye to the role Rwanda was playing in the conflict. | The Congolese deputy prime minister in charge of reconstruction, Emile Bongeli, told Congolese TV that the UN was turning a blind eye to the role Rwanda was playing in the conflict. |
| But the Rwandan government denies it has anything to do with the conflict. | But the Rwandan government denies it has anything to do with the conflict. |
| "They have been accusing us but wrongly," 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," Joseph Mutaboba, the Rwandan president's special envoy to the Great Lakes, told the BBC's Network Africa programme. |
| 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 has refused to disarm while Rwandan Hutu rebels still operate in the area. | Although he signed the deal, Gen Nkunda has refused to disarm while Rwandan Hutu rebels still operate in the area. |
| Return to top | Return to top |
| 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. |