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Rebels claim to seize “strategic” town

    NAIROBI

    The Rwandan-backed Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma) rebel movement on Wednesday claimed to have seized the “very strategic” town of Lokandu from DRC government-backed militia forces after two days of “intense fighting,” Reuters reported on Thursday. Kin-Kiey Mulumba, spokesman for RCD-Goma, was quoted as saying that “the town of Lokandu is very strategic because its fall has led to a blockade of the capital of Maniema province [Kindu, some 50 km upstream].” Lokandu lies on the Lualaba river, a tributary of the Congo. “After two days of intense fighting, the RCD forces routed the enemy forces,” Mulumba was quoted as saying, adding that fighting was still continuing with Mayi-Mayi tribal militia and ethnic Hutu militia groups loyal to the DRC government. This latest outbreak of fighting followed an ongoing exchange among the DRC government and rebels of accusations of violations of the Lusaka peace agreement.

    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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