Rebels, government trade accusations

RCD-Goma confirmed the fresh outbreaks of fighting, and accused the government of launching a “major offensive”. “At this stage I can say there is fighting on many fronts in the north, west Kasai, Katanga and South Kivu,” RCD Second Vice-President Moise Nyarugabo told IRIN on Wednesday. He claimed Mayi-Mayi and Interahamwe militias were being supplied from Kigoma, western Tanzania “in an attempt to attack us from behind”. “The issue of who started the fighting is secondary because everyone knows it is [DRC President] Kabila,” he added.

For his part, an official at the DRC embassy in Nairobi blamed the rebels for starting the fighting. “Trying to blame the government is an attempt to divert the attention of the international community,” he told IRIN. “In fact, they are moving on to try and take Kinshasa.”

At a press conference on Tuesday, RCD President Emile Ilunga declared that the country was “in a state of war” because fighting had resumed on all fronts. “If the international community is not able to advance peace by blocking Kabila’s armed operations, our units will receive orders to fight until the change of regime in Kinshasa,” a rebel army statement said, according to the Associated Press.