U.N. troops go into Congo

GOMA, Congo -- The first armed U.N. troops have flown into the Congo to back an international peace effort.

The 110 Uruguayans later boarded smaller planes for a journey south to their new base just outside the town of Kalemie on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

The troops will be part of a 2,500 force including Moroccans, Tunisians and Senegalese. They are charged with guarding 500 unarmed U.N. observers monitoring a ceasefire in the country's many-sided war.

The observers will also try to verify whether the warring parties, which include six foreign armies and two main rebel movements, have pulled back as promised 15 km (nine miles) from their front-line positions.

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The parties failed to meet a UN deadline to pull back by March 28.

Congo's war began in 1998 when Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi invaded the country, backing rebel groups committed to the overthrow of then President Laurent Kabila.

Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia sent in their armies to defend Kabila.

The observers came after Joseph Kabila granted the UN force the freedom to do its job when he succeeded his murdered father in January.

Although Uganda and Rwanda initially withdrew some troops from Congo there are signs the peace process, which has faltered since a ceasefire was first agreed in mid-1999, is again in danger of stalling.

Extremist militias who have never been involved in any peace talks are also operating in the country. The Congo is Africa's third largest nation and the size of western Europe. It has few roads and little other infrastructure.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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U.N. Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lusaka Ceasefire Document
Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of The Congo
Congolese Rally for Democracy-Liberation Movement
Jane's Information Group: Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)
Human Rights Watch 1999 report on the Democratic Republic of Congo
The International Rescue Committee
  • Congo Mortality Study
Congo Defense Fund (CDF)

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