RCD-Goma confirms battles with government troops in Equateur

The rebel Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD) has confirmed it has been engaged in fighting Congolese government troops. "The situation on the ground is like this," the RCD army chief, Hugo Ilondo, told IRIN on Friday. "In Ikela [Equateur province], the enemy managed to link up with their troops, which we had been surrounding for six months at the airport. But we control the surrounding territory. They cannot even
fly in supplies." Ilondo added that in the last few days, government soldiers had tried to attack RCD positions at Idumbe and Kole, south of Ikela, "but we repulsed them". He explained that the government forces wanted to link up with their frontline troops in Kananga and Mbuji Mayi.