Interahamwe chief-of-staff captured

The Interahamwe militia’s chief-of-staff, Peter Habimana, a member of the former Rwandan army (ex-FAR), has been captured by the Rwandan security forces, the Rwanda News Agency (RNA) reported on Monday. It quoted security sources as saying Habimana, known by his nom de guerre Colonel Bemera, was captured in the northern Ruhengeri province on Sunday with three of his bodyguards. “I entered Rwanda at the beginning of this month, I had come to see what happened to my force,” Habimana told reporters after his capture, according to RNA. Habimana is said to have led one of two militia forces based in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Rwandan army says his force has now been crushed. It says it is now ready to attack the second force. The rebels’ army is known as Armee de liberation du Rwanda (ALIR). The BBC quoted the Rwandan army deputy chief-of-staff, Brigadier General James Kabarebe, as saying the security forces were tipped off by a civilian who gave Bemera shelter in his house and then sent a child to tell the soldiers he was there. Army spokesman Colonel Jean-Bosco Kazura told IRIN that the capture was a “great success” for the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) and a “very heavy blow” for the rebels. He said the RPA had known of Bemera’s whereabouts and knew that “sooner or later he would be captured”. Capturing the rebellion’s chief of staff was very significant, he said, noting that the overall commander of ALIR was still hiding in Congo. “One day he may be captured unless he decides to turn himself in,” Kazura added.