THURSDAY, 2.30PM
MILITARY forces behind former Congolese dictator Denis Sassou Nguesso said on Thursday they had taken control of Brazzaville international airport.
The rebels, in a radio broadcast, said the had been “forced to occupy” the strategic site because it had not been “demilitarised”. Demilitarisation of the airport was one of the key aspects of last week’s ceasefire, which ended with heavy fighting at the weekend.
The broadcast accused the forces of President Pascal Lissouba of using the airport to muster troop and weapons reinforcements since the departure on Friday of the last French troops sent to evacuate French nationals from former Zaire.