DRCONGO: REBELS UNDERGO COMBAT TRAINING

(13 Dec 1998) French/Nat

While efforts to end the fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo flounder, more rebels are training for action.

New recruits in the towns of Kalemie and Moba, on the edges of Lake Tanganyika, are preparing to fight.

However, rebel commanders in Moba said that many people were fleeing the town because of bombing raids by government forces loyal to President Laurent Kabila.

Despite this, the rebels say they remain determined to carry on.

For these young Congolese, war is imminent.

The civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, between President Laurent Kabila's government forces and rebel troops supported by Uganda and Rwanda is continuing.

Despite - or, perhaps, because of - the repeated shelling of their home towns, many young Congolese are joining the rebel troops and training for action.

The local commander says they will defend the region against Kabila's troops.

SOUNDBITE (French)
"Q. Are you confident?
A. Yes.
Q. Why?
A. I'm determined to defend my country. I am very proud..."
SUPER CAPTION: Rebel commander

Training to avoid shelling and survive ambushes is one thing, but a few miles away, the already trained troops are making their way to the heart of the fighting.

Towns in rebel held territory celebrate their arrival with demonstrations aimed at the accompanying journalists.

But soon, these soldiers will be on the front-line.

On Saturday, a rebel commander said his troops were poised to capture the last government stronghold along vast Lake Tanganyika.

Colonel Nora Songolo claimed his forces were fighting to capture Molira and have taken all other towns along the western shore of the 480-mile-long lake.

Meanwhile, President Laurent Kabila and his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak were in Cairo on Sunday to discuss ways of ending the four-month civil war.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...