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| UN caught in new DR Congo clashes | UN caught in new DR Congo clashes |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Peacekeepers have been caught up in renewed clashes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after days of relative calm, the United Nations says. | Peacekeepers have been caught up in renewed clashes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after days of relative calm, the United Nations says. |
| Fighting broke out between rebel forces and two pro-government militias, said a UN spokeswoman in the main town, Goma. | Fighting broke out between rebel forces and two pro-government militias, said a UN spokeswoman in the main town, Goma. |
| Rebel leader Gen Laurent Nkunda last week declared a ceasefire, as his forces approached Goma. | |
| The BBC's Peter Greste in the town says the clashes are worrying but do not necessarily mean the ceasefire is over. | The BBC's Peter Greste in the town says the clashes are worrying but do not necessarily mean the ceasefire is over. |
| Goma is surrounded by rebel forces, which have routed government forces. | Goma is surrounded by rebel forces, which have routed government forces. |
| Some 250,000 people have fled their homes and aid agencies are struggling to help them. | Some 250,000 people have fled their homes and aid agencies are struggling to help them. |
| Some fled the countryside for Goma but others have since returned, as there is not enough food or shelter for them. | Some fled the countryside for Goma but others have since returned, as there is not enough food or shelter for them. |
| Earlier, the French foreign minister called for the mandate of the 17,000-strong UN peacekeeping force in DR Congo to be strengthened. href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1225714295/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1225714295/html/1.stm', '1225714343', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=301,left=312,top=100'); return false;"> href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1225714295/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/africa_enl_1225714295/html/1.stm', '1225714343', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=301,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Map | |
| UN peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy, visiting Goma, said the UN mandate was currently to "protect civilians and to support the army in disarming rebel forces". | UN peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy, visiting Goma, said the UN mandate was currently to "protect civilians and to support the army in disarming rebel forces". |
| "Our mandate is not to defend cities," he told the BBC's Network Africa programme. | "Our mandate is not to defend cities," he told the BBC's Network Africa programme. |
| The clashes broke out just north of Rutshuru, around 80km (50 miles) north of Goma, where a UN convoy carrying medical supplies arrived on Monday. | |
| "Our base was caught in the crossfire between CNDP (Gen Nkunda's National Congress for the Defence of the People) forces and Mai-Mai in the north," said UN spokeswoman Sylvie van den Wildenberg. | |
| Gen Nkunda has threatened to topple the DR Congo government in Kinshasa unless President Joseph Kabila agrees to hold direct talks. | |
| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says he is ready to fly to the region at the weekend to help mediate a deal to end the conflict. | |
| He said he would meet Mr Kabila and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame. |