France to probe Congo 'massacre'

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France's highest appeals court has ordered that an investigation be reopened into disappearances in the Republic of Congo in 1999.

In 2002 a lower court threw out the case, brought against two Congolese officials with homes in France.

About 350 refugees from conflict in Congo had fled to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo when they disappeared returning to Brazzaville.

Authorities in the Republic of Congo deny they were massacred.

Rights groups and relatives of the missing say they were arrested, tortured and then executed upon their return to Congo on suspicion of backing an anti-government militia.

The country's then chief of police, Jean-Francois Ndengue, was investigated but never charged while an international arrest warrant was issued for Gen Norbert Dabira.

The two had homes in Meaux, east of Paris. This circumstance allowed French authorities to launch a case following legal action by relatives of some of those who disappeared.

A Congolese trial into the case resulted in acquittals for 15 defendants, all of them military and police officials, AFP news agency said.