Rebellion Attempt in Congo

private email communication

[Fairview]

Heavy fighting broke out around noon yesterday (Thursday 22 March) in Democratic Republic of Congo's capital between the government troops and the militia loyal to Jean-Pierre Bemba. Bemba's personal militia was ordered by the country's government to register at an army base last week to begin their integration into the Congolese security force. But his militia ignored the deadline. These clashes are the first in the in the capital, a Bemba stronghold, since Joseph Kabila was installed as president on Dec. 6.

Early in the regellion a witness in a high-rise building on the city's main boulevard said he could see large numbers of what appeared to be government troops moving toward the city center.

Heavy fighting continues today, day two of the outbreak. MONUC, the United Nation's peacekeeping force in Congo, are patrolling the streets as the battle rages, but do not intervene. Apparently, Bemba's troops looted several of the stores in the city center, a downtown hotel popular with foreigners had been looted, and they broke into the Zimbabwe Embassy and the brand new Bravo Airlines (a cargo shipper). A grenade or mortar shell struck the Spanish Embassy during fighting. Apparently, they attempted to break into one of the American Embassy buildings ... shot out a bunch of windows ... but were stopped. Nigeria's ambassador told a Nigerian newspaper by phone that his bedroom had been hit during the unrest, he had been injured in the right leg, hand and head and U.N. peacekeepers had to wait for fighting to subside before they could rescue him.

At the moment the government soldiers have taken control of the city. There are a group of 85 American citizens in lock-down in other Embassy buildings, they are surviving on MREs. There are also many children of expats in lock-down at TASOK (the American School of Kinshasa) and Little Jewels (another private school). The news is only reporting a couple of deaths, but insiders say that there are scores of people that have been killed. Evacuation has not been discussed, yet.

The DRCongo's state prosecutor has issued an arrest warrant for high treason against former rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba. Bemba is reportedly now in hiding under safe haven at the South African embassy.

Today the FARDC (national army) has taken the lead. Bemba's fighters are running out of ammunition and their morale is low. The fighting has moved out past the airport. Some of Bemba's men are reportedly starting to surrender at U.N. bases in the city. There are a lot of dead bodies, mostly military, but also civilians but no precise numbers. A column of smoke rose from the area of an oil refinery early today. Another witness reported seeing another plume of smoke coming from the vicinity of Bemba's residence in the city's plush Gombe district, which has seen the worst of the fighting.

[Fairview]

This was received as an email communication this morning. It came from an American with whom I am in contact, a person who lives and works in Congo.

[jagusafr]

Reminds me of Panama City in December of '89. The mortar fire woke us up at 12:50 a.m., and the smoke rose over the Comandancia in the morning. Hopefully Bemba will be captured in less that 3 weeks...come to think of it, it also reminds me of Karachi in '66, hiding under the bed while the Indian paratroopers landed in the city. Ah, those were the days - not. Prayers for all these folks - it's a major life upheaval to be caught in the middle.

Colonel, USAFR