ZAIRE:FRENCH SOLDIERS PREPARE TO LEAVE ZAIRE AFTER PULLING OUT OF RWANDA AND HANDING CONTROL OVER TO GHANAIAN UNITED NATIONS (UN) PEACEKEEPERS

Record ID: 646340

  • Title: ZAIRE:FRENCH SOLDIERS PREPARE TO LEAVE ZAIRE AFTER PULLING OUT OF RWANDA AND HANDING CONTROL OVER TO GHANAIAN UNITED NATIONS (UN) PEACEKEEPERS
  • Date: 18th August 1994
  • Summary: BUKAVU, ZAIRE (AUGUST 18, 1994) 1. GV CHILDREN SITTING NEAR FRENCH MARINES' CAMP AT AIRPORT 0.07 2. GV MARINES PACKING BY THEIR TENTS (2 SHOTS) 0.17 3. LV MARINES PACKING TRUCKS (2 SHOTS) 0.26 4. SLV MARINE CLEANING GUN (2 SHOTS) 0.35 5. LV MARINES SITTING AMONGST TENTS (2 SHOTS) 0.45 6. GV MILITARY VEHICLES 0.49 7. SLV MARINE CLEANING WEAPON 0.56 8. LV ROW OF TENTS 0.59 9. GV AIRPLANE TAXIING ALONG RUNWAY 1.05 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 1994 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BUKAVU, ZAIRE
  • City:
  • Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of
  • Reuters ID: LVAB787Y5Y01CF8MZH1IB03PGQXA
  • Story Text: French soldiers were preparing to leave Zaire on Thursday (August 18), after pulling out of Rwanda and handing control of the protection zones over to Ghanaian United Nations (U.N.) peacekeepers.

    Less than two months ago the marines arrived in Gikongoro, Rwanda, with promises to protect the civilian population of the area from the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF).

    As they pulled out of the area on Wednesday all they could offer were their goodbyes to the Hutus they had sworn to protect.

    At their new camp at Bukavu airport on Thursday, the marines were busy preparing themselves and their equipment for the flight home, although an exact time of departure had not been set.

    As news that the French were determined to stick to their scheduled August 22 withdrawal from the protection zone spread, a steady stream of Hutus were embarking on the week-long trek by foot to the border with Zaire.

    The gradual exodus from Gikongoro represents a massive no confidence vote in the ability of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR) to protect the Hutus, Rwanda's majority tribe. They are frightened by the takeover of power by the RPF, which is dominated by their historic Tutsi enemies.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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