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Tension easing in Bunia

    NAIROBI

    The situation in the northeastern DRC town of Bunia eased on Friday after the commander of a militia group opposed to local leader Professor Ernest Wamba dia Wamba was reportedly arrested.

    A spokesman for the governing Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie-Mouvement de liberation (RCD-ML) told IRIN that Ugandan army soldiers arrested Claude Tiza, the commander of the Usalama militia group loyal to Wamba’s rival and former deputy, Mbusa Nyamwisi.

    “The coup is over,” spokesman Jean-Ernest Louis Kayiviro said. “All Usalama forces will be dispersed.”
    Heavy fighting between opposing forces loyal to Wamba and Nyamwisi resumed this week after a brief lull following an attempt the previous week to oust Wamba. According to Kayiviro, this week’s fighting claimed 40 lives. He said the threat of more clashes was now “dwindling” and “tension is easing”.

    A meeting between the rivals was now expected to go ahead in Kampala, brokered by the Ugandan authorities. “Once we are sure there is security for the population, Wamba will send a delegation there,” Kayiviro said.

    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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