The army in the Republic of Congo has regained control of the town of Kimba, in the central African country’s troubled Pool region, from Ninja rebels, a military source said on Thursday.
State-run television had shown pictures on Wednesday night of government soldiers touting AK-47 rifles taking control of Kimba and congratulating each other in the presence of military leaders.
The source said the town of 3 000 inhabitants had been seized without a fight. Kimba and Vindza, in the Pool region south of the capital Brazzaville, have become virtual ghost towns since March 29, when government forces launched a major offensive to wipe out renegade Ninja militiamen who have refused to follow a disarmament programme set up under a 1999 peace pact.
Thousands of civilians have fled the fighting to take shelter in the surrounding forest or in villages so far unaffected by the fighting.
Under the 1999 pact, designed to end a decade of civil wars, most of the militia forces that served as private armies for different political forces laid down their arms. But the Ninjas, led by Pastor Frederik Bitsangou refused.
The United Nations has said that more than 40 000 people have fled their homes since the start of the conflict two months ago and has warned of a humanitarian disaster because aid agencies cannot reach the displaced to provide them with food or medicine. – AFP
