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DR Congo rebels retake key town DR Congo rebels retake key town
(about 10 hours later)
Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have recaptured the eastern town of Mushake, which they lost last week. It has been confirmed that rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have recaptured the eastern town of Mushake, which they ceded to the army last week.
They are also reported to have retaken positions in another important village nearby, Karuba. There are reports of casualties, but no firm figures yet. A BBC correspondent in the area says the rebels are threatening the town of Sake, which is being defended by UN troops, who say they will use force.
Government forces began an operation last week against forces loyal to a renegade ex-general, Laurent Nkunda. The army has reportedly suffered heavy casualties during the rebel advance, while civilians are fleeing.
An army spokesman told the BBC the government would try to re-take the lost territory once more. The defence minister said the army would regroup to counter-attack.
The BBC's Arnaud Zajtman, who is in the North Kivu provincial capital, Goma, says the losses are psychologically and strategically important. It is the first major setback since the start of the offensive against the insurgents led by Gen Laurent Nkunda.
class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7053567.stm">Behind Congo's war games class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/3786883.stm">Profile: Renegade general Sake is on the main road to the regional capital, Goma.
"They've reached the limit. If they try to go further, if they fire towards us, we will open fire," Major Prem Tiwari, a spokesman for the UN mission in DR Congo (Monuc), said, according to the AFP news agency.
"We have a mandate to protect the population and Sake town. We will not allow them to move beyond their current positions."
Disarray
The government admits the rebels have also retaken positions in a nearby village, Karuba.
A BBC reporter, who is close to the frontline, has seen hundreds of wounded.
Behind Congo's war gamesProfile: Renegade general Our reporter says amid the newly displaced civilians, there are many children who have been separated from their parents.
An estimated 400,000 people have had to flee their homes in the last few months.
Monuc is ferrying in tonnes of munitions and flying out the wounded troops.
BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says the Congolese offensive, launched last week after months of planning, appears in disarray just days after they were trumpeting a "major victory" over Gen Nkunda's force.
Observers suggest this is a major setback, not only for President Joseph Kabila whose soldiers have not been up to the task, but also for the UN, which so publicly committed itself to the government advance.
DR Congo's Defence Minister Diemu Chikez told AFP that what appeared to be a rout of the armed forces was a "retreat in order to regroup".
"The insurgents launched a surprise attack. We pulled back and they retook Mushake and Karuba, but this won't last," he said.
It is arguable that neither side can hold on to any territorial gains - and that is of far more serious consequence to President Kabila's armed forces than to the rebels, who can employ hit-and-run tactics, our correspondent says.
Exile
Human Rights Watch has appealed for all sides to protect those caught up in the fighting.
Gen Nkunda says he is protecting DR Congo's Tutsi community
Mushake was taken only a week ago, and represented a step taken into rebel territory.Mushake was taken only a week ago, and represented a step taken into rebel territory.
The town overlooks the road to Goma, and controlling it showed that the government could protect the ethnic Tutsi population which Gen Nkunda claims to defend against Rwandan Hutu rebels. The town overlooks the road to Goma, and the government hoped that controlling it would demonstrate it could protect the ethnic Tutsi population, which Gen Nkunda claims to defend against marauding Rwandan Hutu rebels who have lived in eastern DR Congo since the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
Karuba was the government's first victory over General Nkunda's forces two months ago, he says.
There is no clear indication so far of the scale of casualties in the fighting, but another BBC correspondent has seen "many" government soldiers in hospital in Goma with bullet wounds, with more arriving.
Some 400, 000 people have fled their villages in recent months and more civilians are now fleeing the area of the fighting.
The renewed violence has brought fresh fears for the safety of tens of thousands of people who have already been displaced.
Gen Nkunda claims he is defending his own Tutsi community against Rwandan Hutu rebels responsible for the Rwandan genocide in 1994, who have been active in the east of DR Congo ever since.
The government had repeatedly warned him to stop his rebellion and integrate his men into the army.The government had repeatedly warned him to stop his rebellion and integrate his men into the army.
The US has urged the rebel leader to go into exile in order to end the fighting, but his spokesman has denied reports that he had agreed.The US has urged the rebel leader to go into exile in order to end the fighting, but his spokesman has denied reports that he had agreed.