The UN Observer Mission in the DRC (MONUC) has confirmed that Ugandan and Rwandan troops are withdrawing from Kisangani, following a week of fighting that left hundreds of civilians dead. “There are no Rwandan or Ugandan troops in town; they are withdrawing... not yet to the required 100km, but we hope that this will possible in the next few days. Our officers are verifying the withdrawal exercise,” Major Alexander told IRIN from Kisangani on Monday. Ugandan army spokesman Major Pheneas Katirima said the withdrawal was progressing smoothly. “Both armies are withdrawing happily, the UPDF [Uganda People’s Defence Forces] withdrawing northwards and the RPA [Rwandan Patriotic Army] southwards towards Ubundu. The RPA had earlier carried out diversionary movements in our direction, but they later moved southwards. The whole exercise has been incident-free up to now,” Katirima said. “As of 17 June, there is no RPA soldier in Kisangani. They are withdrawing southwards and southwest,” Rwandan government spokesman Joseph Bideri added.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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