- Congolese renegade leader General Laurent Nkunda has warned against African peacekeepers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, saying their deployment could ignite violence.
Heads of southern African countries have also announced yesterday that they are prepared to send troops to DRC to help its government in the struggle against rebel forces led Mr Nkunda.
"It would risk setting Great Lakes region on fire," said Bertrand Bisimwa, a spokesman for the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) led by general Nkunda.
"The government should favour political solutions, by engaging in talks with the CNDP, over military solutions. The country's population is already suffering because of this," he added.
Mr Bisimwa's reaction comes after DR Congo's foreign minister admitted yesterday that while Angola had not yet deployed any troops into the country, it could do so in the future.
Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders said if needs be, would send its peacekeeping force into eastern Kivu province of DRC, noting that recent outbreak of violence is said have already displaced thousands of people.
"The SADC has called for an immediate ceasefire between the rebels and pro-government militia to allow humanitarian assistance to thousands of displaced people," read SADC statement.
SADC Executive Secretary, Tomaz Salamao, said regional team of military experts will immediately be deployed to assess situation in North Kivu province. He said the region will not stand by and witness incessant and destructive acts of violence by any armed groups against innocent people.
The upsurge in fighting in DRC's North Kivu province bordering Rwanda and the growing involvement of neighbouring states in moves to end it have raised fears of a repeat of the 1998 to 2003 DRC war that sucked in armies from the region.
Kinshasa has repeatedly denied that foreign troops are on its soil to support pro-government troops battling Nkunda's rebel forces - an assertion echoed by UN mission, which has 17 000 blue-helmeted peacekeepers on the ground.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español