Threat of war looms over DRC and Rwanda

[dArKeR]

Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila's hunt for the leader of a renegade band of his armed forces could thrust his country, Rwanda and the entire region into war, analysts warned on Tuesday. And it is also widening cracks in the DRC's fragile government of national unity.

What President Thabo Mbeki this week called a "potentially catastrophic war" in the Congo was still on a knife-edge on Tuesday as Kinshasa and Kigali traded warnings.

Mbeki continued telephonic shuttle diplomacy between Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Congo's Kabila.

Kabila sparked the crisis this week by sending 10 000 troops to the eastern DRC near the border with Rwanda to deal with the renegade elements of his national army who three weeks ago captured the key town of Bukavu. Rwanda immediately threatened to retaliate if the troops crossed the border. The DRC government responded by saying it did not intend attacking Rwanda.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=vn20040623105046934C395179