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DR Congo clashes kill at least 21

Agence France-PresseMay 16, 2013 09:17
Violent clashes between rebels and government troops in the restive eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have left at least 21 people dead, a military official said Thursday. At least 17 militia fighters and four soldiers were killed in the fighting which broke out on Wednesday in the town of Beni, some 250 kilometres (155 miles) north of Goma, the capital of the North Kivu province, Colonel Richard Bisamaza said. Six members of the Mai Mai militia were captured, Bisamaza said. A separate source told AFP that the toll was 28 dead, including four soldiers.

DR Congo province in push to save child soldiers

Agence France-PresseMay 13, 2013 23:02
Desperate to save children from being used as soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, residents of the notorious "Triangle of Death" have taken matters into their own hands, launching the first wide-scale campaign to end the practice in the remote and volatile region. The United Nations has several ongoing efforts to stop the enlistment of children in the troubled country but this is the first grassroots campaign in the southeastern Katanga province.

First intervention brigade troops arrive in DR Congo

Agence France-PresseMay 13, 2013 12:45
The first troops belonging to an intervention brigade aimed at taking on armed groups in strife-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have arrived for their mission, a United Nations official said Monday. About a hundred soldiers arrived in the provincial capital of Goma at the weekend, Alex Essome of the UN force in DR Congo said. They are part of a 1,280 man force from Tanzania that is set to be deployed in the area "in the coming days".

DR Congo intervention brigade must be 'limited', UN envoy

Agence France-PresseMay 6, 2013 22:45
A new UN intervention brigade to be deployed in conflict-stricken eastern Democratic Republic of Congo must carry out only "limited" strike operations, the new UN peace envoy for the region said Monday. Mary Robinson, UN special envoy for the Great Lakes Region, expressed concern to the UN Security Council about fallout from the brigade's operations on humanitarian operations in a region rife with rival rebel groups.

Around 11 deaths in DR Congo fighting

April 1, 2013 14:16
Around 11 people were killed after fresh fighting between government forces and a militia in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations said Monday. UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey said the APCLS militia suffered the reported fatalities, while a soldier from the DR Congo army was injured during the skirmishes in Kitchanga, in North Kivu province. The situation in the area was reported as calm on Monday, but approximately 1,500 civilians remained under the protection of MONUSCO, the UN's peacekeeping mission in DR Congo, which has a base in Kitchanga.

U.N. approves new combat force to "neutralise" Congo rebels

March 28, 2013 16:45
By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Thursday approved the creation of a unique new combat force that is to carry out "targeted offensive operations" to neutralize armed groups in conflict-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Five killed in clashes in DR Congo mining city: army

March 23, 2013 13:00
A militia group raided the mining city of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday, killing four soldiers and police in clashes that also left one militia fighter dead, the army and witnesses said. Witnesses said fighters from the Mai Mai militia had entered the city, the capital of mineral-rich Katanga province, from the north and opened fire on the army and police around the provincial governor's offices.

UN reaches downed helicopter in DR Congo after four days

March 12, 2013 13:46
Rescuers took four days to reach the wreckage of a UN helicopter that crashed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and finally found the bodies of the four Russian crew on Tuesday, the UN said. The cargo helicopter crashed on Saturday but bad weather stopped the UN mission in DR Congo, MONUSCO, from getting to the wreckage about 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Bukavu in South Kivu province, UN officials said. "The wreck of the helicopter was spotted on Sunday, but bad weather and difficulties in access slowed down the rescue operation," said a MONUSCO statement.

Ban faces questions over DR Congo intervention force

March 5, 2013 20:31
UN leader Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called for the rapid deployment of an "intervention brigade" in Democratic Republic of Congo even though he faces mounting Security Council questions over the force. Ban and several African nations want the 2,500-strong special brigade to take on the armed groups who have brought renewed strife to eastern DR Congo.

Split in DR Congo rebel ranks leads to clashes

March 1, 2013 08:16
Fighting has broken out in the unstable east of the Democratic Republic of Congo between rival factions of the M23 rebel movement after the dismissal of the group's political leader, rebel and Congolese military sources said Friday. The clashes began on Thursday in the Rutshuru region, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. Supporters of Jean-Marie Runiga, the ousted political chief of M23, were battling those loyal to the movement's military leader, Sultani Makenga, the sources said.
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