Congo troops withdraw as rebels advance
Congo troops have withdrawn after coming under attack from rebels
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Tuesday, 28, Oct 2008 04:39
Troops in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have withdrawn from their positions in Kibumba after coming under attack from Tutsi rebels.
The rebels are attempting to take Congo's eastern provincial capital Goma, home to United Nations (UN) headquarters in the country and some 600,000 people.
Reports suggest that an estimated 200,000 people have fled to a makeshift refugee shelter in Kibati with the Red Cross claiming hundreds of refugees a day are crossing the border into Uganda.
Fighters belonging to renegade General Laurent Nkunda have also opened another front 50km north of Rubare, near Uganda, reports suggest.
The Reuters news agency has reported that the UN is preparing to evacuate foreign aid workers from the town of Rutshuru, as the rebels advance.
On Monday the UN headquarters in Goma was stoned and one civilian killed in demonstrations and today UN vehicles were again stoned and riot police deployed across the city to prevent further demonstrations.
Gen Nkunda has declared he wants to "liberate" all of Congo. He originally signed a ceasefire with the government in January, but reneged claiming the government showed no interest in protecting the Tutsi people from Rwandan Hutu militiamen.