Text:
http://www.africanews.org/central/congo-kinshasa/stories/19990310_feat1.html
Congo Rebels In Fresh Offensive
March 10, 1999
Kampala - Congo rebels yesterday launched an offensive at Pweto, sending
thousands of locals fleeing into neighbouring Zambia, security forces said
yesterday. The fighting in the Lake Mweru shore town of Pweto in Shaba Province,
southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo, broke out amid reports that both
sides in the conflict were massively preparing for an offensive.
The offensive also comes at a time when Zambia has cut the fuel route to southern DRC and Lubumbashi, thus forcing embattled President Laurent Kabila on Sunday to fly to northern Zambian border town of Ndola for talks with his counterpart Frederick Chiluba. Angola, a key ally of Kabila, has accused Zambia of backing Angolan UNITA rebels.
Thousands of Congolese refugees were yesterday still arriving in Tabwe region in Zambia, sources said. On Sunday, Congolese Liberation Movement rebels led by Jean-Pierre Bemba, said they repelled a heavy counter-offensive on rebel-held Lisala in the northwest.
The rebels said fighting still continued yesterday but far from Lisala, about 400 miles northwest of Kisangani, DRC's third largest city. The rebels said the allied forces comprise Sudanese, Chadians, Rwandese Interahamwe militias and forces loyal to Kabila.
"We were willing to maintain the troops standstill while pursuing the peace process, but Kabila took advantage of it to infiltrate the Interahamwe to attack us at the rear. We have to take the battle to them," a source said about the Pwete fighting.
Rebels spokesman Lambert Mende Omalanga, said Friday captured Interahamwe said they were sent by the Kabila army.