Ugandan army denies threat to shoot down planes in Kisangani

The Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) has denied threatening to shoot down planes suspected to be carrying out military missions for the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) at the main Kisangani airport, Bangboka. The threat led to the temporary halting of relief flights to Kisangani, the scene of heavy fighting between the Ugandan and Rwandan armies last week. “The accusations that we have threatened to shot down any aircraft are not true,” Ugandan army spokesman Major Phineas Katirima told IRIN. Humanitarian sources told IRIN that the threat by the Ugandans to shoot down aircraft landing at Bangboka was being handled by MONUC officers who held a meeting with UPDF officers on Thursday. “It is unclear whether the threat will affect the withdrawal of UPDF from Kisangani,” the commander of the Rwandan forces in Kisangani Karenzi Karakye told IRIN. “The first thing Monday morning is to withdraw from Kisangani,” he said. “We will be 50 km away, if the Ugandans want Kisangani they are free,” he added. “As nobody is going to use the town to destabilise Rwanda, our interest in minimal.” A statement issued by the spokesman of the rebel RCD-Goma, Kin Kiey Mulumba, on Friday said the RCD would “disregard any threats by Uganda” and would send flights to Kisangani “to transport medical and food aid to the victimised Congolese population”.