DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: More people are uprooted from their villages as Congolese army and rebels led by renegade general engage each other using heavy weapons

Record ID: 375580

  • Title: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: More people are uprooted from their villages as Congolese army and rebels led by renegade general engage each other using heavy weapons
  • Date: 22nd May 2012
  • Summary: RUTSHURU, DR CONGO (MAY 20, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CONGOLESE MILITARY CONVOY DRIVING TOWARDS THE FRONTLINE CONGOLESE SOLDIERS DISEMBARKING FROM THEIR VEHICLES SOLDIERS WALKING TOWARDS THE CAMERA CONGOLESE SOLDIER LOOKING TOWARDS THE HILLS CONGOLESE SOLDIERS POINTING TOWARDS THE HILLS VARIOUS OF SHELLING COMING FROM REBEL POSITIONS RUTSHURU RESIDENTS RUNNING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 6th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
  • Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEO8RW8BXLSRHCTVOWO3N4NEZ3
  • Story Text: Hundreds of Congolese fled their villages as fighting erupted between government forces and renegade troops in the east of the country over the weekend.
    Heavy shelling was reported on Sunday (May 20) in areas under the rebel March 23 (M23) group as government troops moved towards the hills where gunfire came from.
    Many residents of the Rutshuru area -- that borders Uganda and Rwanda -- have escaped to areas controlled by government soldiers.
    "We are very worried here because of M23 movement as they come here and kill people, we all stopped working, students are not going to school and we can not go to the hills to farm," said Jean Akisimana a resident of Rutshuru.
    Residents have seen fighting before as the area has has been the trigger of clashes in recent years.
    Thousands have already fled to Rwanda and Uganda in the recent weeks.
    Some say they are caught in between as government soldiers accuse them of hosting rebels.
    The fighting has left many children orphaned while rape cases amongst women have been reported.
    "We are afraid of the ongoing war, women are being raped, and we are not able to go to the farms so we are very afraid," said Mary Gabire, as she carried a heavy load of firewood on her head.
    Clashes erupted after Congolese President Joseph Kabila announced last month that he would try to arrest General Bosco Ntaganda, known as the "Terminator," who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and also recently for recruiting child soldiers to fight.
    Ntaganda, previously a rebel commander, was integrated into the army with his soldiers after an agreement between the DRC and Rwanda in 2009 that led to the rebels being integrated into the army.
    But Ntaganda and hundreds of his men mutinied in April, sparking clashes with government troops that have pushed thousands of frightened villagers into fleeing the country to Rwanda and Uganda.
    The ICC has been seeking his arrest since 2006 on charges of conscripting child soldiers in his rebel militia, and it announced new charges this week including murder, ethnic persecution and rape.
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