/ 11 February 1999

RWANDAN PILOTS TO ISRAEL

SEVENTY Rwandan non-commissioned officers are to train as pilots in Israel, the monthly Newsline reports in its current issue.Armed forces spokesperson Emmanuel Ndahiro denied the report but other military sources said that military personnel are scheduled to leave for Israel soon.”Rwanda has intensified training of its military in the past five years apparently to get ready with a more equipped, manageable force in the wake of pressures from the donor agencies to cut down on military spending,” the publication said. The United States is also helping to train the Rwandan armed forces, notably in unconventional warfare.