This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/8104984.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
DR Congo army 'close to collapse' Mutinous Congo troops fire at UN
(20 minutes later)
The army in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is at risk of disintegrating, senior UN peacekeepers have said. A UN base in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been fired on by army soldiers in a dispute over pay.
There have been a series of mutinies by troops who have not been paid their salary for several months. It is the latest in a string of mutinies in North Kivu by soldiers who have not been paid for six months.
A UN officer told the BBC that army commanders are not passing money on to their troops under their command. A senior UN peacekeeper told the BBC that army commanders are not handing over soldiers' wages.
The BBC's Thomas Fessy says in the latest incident soldiers fired in the air for an hour and half and refused to go on a mission to fight rebels. The army and UN forces are conducting an offensive in the region against ethnic Hutu rebels many of whom fled to DR Congo after the Rwandan genocide.
Our reporter says there have been another 10 such cases in the last week in North Kivu where UN forces and the Congolese army are conducting a joint offensive against ethnic Hutu rebels from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). A UN spokesman told the BBC the situation needed to be dealt with urgently.
Many of these rebels fled to DR Congo after the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which some its leaders were accused of taking part.
Base attacked
Fighting has also been reported about 100km (62 miles) north-west of Goma, where Congolese soldiers have fired on a UN base in protest over pay and 27 soldiers have been arrested.
In pictures: Civilians easy prey
A UN spokesman told the BBC the situation needed to be dealt with.
"There is a risk of a potential disintegration of the Congolese army," he said."There is a risk of a potential disintegration of the Congolese army," he said.
Over the last few months, members of the Tutsi-dominated rebel militia, the Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), have been integrated into the national army.Over the last few months, members of the Tutsi-dominated rebel militia, the Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), have been integrated into the national army.
"There has been a fast-track integration of the CNDP and we are now seeing the results. The commanders are getting the money but not distributing it," the UN spokesperson said."There has been a fast-track integration of the CNDP and we are now seeing the results. The commanders are getting the money but not distributing it," the UN spokesperson said.
Our reporter says villagers in the region are worried about their safety and soldiers have been stealing their crops to eat. Shooting in the air
The BBC's Thomas Fessy in the region says 27 soldiers have been arrested after firing on the UN base about 100km (62 miles) north-west of Goma.
In pictures: Civilians easy prey
In another incident on Wednesday morning, soldiers in Ngora village (200km north-west of Goma) refused to pursue Hutu rebels from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) into a neighbouring village.
They fired in the air for an hour-and-a-half, our correspondent says.
Two ringleaders were then arrested, which prompted more shooting.
Our reporter says there have been another nine such cases in the last week in North Kivu.
Villagers in the region are worried about their safety and soldiers have been stealing their crops to eat, he says.