Namibia detains 82 suspected UNITA rebels

WINDHOEK, Namibia (Reuters) -- The Namibian government said on Thursday it had detained 82 suspected Angolan UNITA rebels in the north of the country.

"I can confidently confirm that these are UNITA bandits who have confessed that they have perpetrated terrorist activities in the Kavango region," Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Niilo Taapopi told a news conference.

Taapopi said the suspected rebels were captured by security forces and are being held under the Immigration Control Act.

Namibia blames UNITA for killing more than 50 people, including three French children, in revenge attacks following Windhoek's decision last December to allow the Angolan army to launch an offensive on UNITA from Namibian soil.

The volatile security situation in the Kavango and Caprivi regions has led to the closure of game lodges and the withdrawal of foreign volunteer workers.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For more Africa news, myCNN.com will bring you news from the areas and subjects you select.

See related sites about Africa

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.