afrol News, 23 January - Congolese renegade General Laurent Nkunda was arrested last night in the neighbouring Rwanda after trying to resist an arrest by joint Rwandan-Congolese operation in eastern part of the country.

The army spokesman, Captain Olivier Hamuli said the arrest took place while General Nkunda was on the run in the Rwandan territory after having resisted soldiers in Bunagana.

Earlier this week, Rwandan government disbursed some 2,000 troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo to back government forces to fight rebel forces in Kivu province. Rebel and government clashes four months ago has displaced over a quarter of a million in northern Kivu.

Reports said Mr Nkunda had threaten to seize Goma, in November after his forces advanced to within 10 kilometers of the city, which was regarded as a major step towards ousting President Joseph Kabila.

The National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP) spokesman Jean-Desire Muiti confirmed Mr Nkunda left with Rwandan and Congolese soldiers last night from Bunagana, which is about 80 kilometers northeast of Goma.

"I think the information is true," Muiti said from Bunagana, adding that two of Nkunda's commanders were also taken.

Mr Nkunda, who was ousted as leader of the CNDP earlier this month, claims to be fighting to protect the region's ethnic Tutsi minority from Hutu militias that took refuge there after participating in the 1994 genocide in neighboring Rwanda.

The CNDP launched a major offensive in August 2008.

The upsurge in fighting in North Kivu province bordering Rwanda and growing involvement of neighbouring states in moves to end the conflict had raised fears of a repeat of the 1998 to 2003 DRC war.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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