Angolan government troops among refugees

Angolan government troops were among a group of Angolan refugees who fled into northwestern Zambia last week, a spokesman for the Zambian ministry of defence told IRIN on Tuesday. “The exact number are not yet known. But the men have been disarmed and we are entering into negotiations with the Angolan government about their repatriation,” the official said. Kelvin Shimo, UNHCR’s spokesman in Lusaka, told IRIN on Monday that 657 Angolan refugees had entered Zambia’s Northwestern province from Angola’s Moxico region after an attack by UNITA rebels on government military positions. Shimo said the refugees were currently being transported to the Maheba refugee camp. Meanwhile, news reports on Tuesday said that Zambian Foreign Minister Keli Walubita was in Angola for talks with his counterpart Joao Miranda during which security issues along the common border would be discussed.