SADC high command warns rebel forces

The high command of Southern African forces backing President
Laurent-Desire Kabila have warned rebel forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that they will face a counter-attack if they do not stop moving into government-held areas near Kisangani in the northwest of the country. Rwanda maintains its positions in the area were attacked by DRC government forces, trying to provoke them into violating the Lusaka ceasefire agreement.

The SADC warning was made on Tuesday by Southern African Development Community (SADC) Allied Forces Commander, Major-General Amoth Chingombe. He cited concern about rebel advances west of Kisangani near Opala and Bomandja along the strategic 400 km stretch of winding road linking Kisangani with Ikela, a town where SADC forces were besieged until recently for weeks on end.

The statement, issued in Harare, added: "We regard these advances a serious threat to our forces on the ground." Following the ceasefire violations by the rebels when they captured Basankusu, a major town some 800 km west of Kisangani, in November last year, the statement said they had continued to advance along the Ubangi, Lulonga and Congo rivers.

"Their most recent moves towards our supply routes and positions are very threatening indeed. We will therefore, very soon use all the force available to us," General Chingombe said. Unless the rebels "reconsider" their actions and pull back to their original positions, he warned, "SADC Allied Forces will be forced to counter attack since this is a serious
violation of the Lusaka Peace Accord".

The Rwandan authorities said they were taking the statement from the Congolese and their allies seriously. " We take this particular threat seriously because it departs from the peaceful resolution of the conflict, but we are not easily intimidated because our reasons for being in Congo are still valid and can only be addressed if the Lusaka agreement is properly implemented not threats from anybody, " Major Emmanuel Ndahiro,
an advisor to Rwandan Vice-President Paul Kagame, told IRIN on Wednesday.