CONGO: LATEST SITUATION UPDATE скачать в хорошем качестве

CONGO: LATEST SITUATION UPDATE

(16 Jun 1997) French/Nat Fighting has flared up again around the airport in Brazzaville as French soldiers withdraw from the Congolese capital. The withdrawal comes as African heads of state joined delegates from the warring factions in the Congo at a meeting Monday in the Gabonese capital, Libreville. The meeting is an attempt to prepare the groundwork for a summit between Congolese President Pascal Lissouba and his predecessor, Denis Sassou Nguesso. Rockets exploded around the airport at Brazzaville again Monday -- as French troops pulled out from the Congolese capital. The rockets were reportedly fired by troops loyal to the Congo Republic's president, Pascal Lissouba -- and hit the stronghold of his predecessor, Denis Sassou Nguesso. Witnesses reported seeing at least eight rockets. All day, the French troops have been packing up the French military base. The 12-hundred troops were in this Central African state to help with the evacuation of around 5-thousand-500 foreigners. Now that their task is over, Paris has ordered its troops to withdraw -- around 350 left on Monday for Gabon's capital, Libreville. A French commander told journalists at the airport that their mission had been a success. SOUNDBITE: (French) "Our mission has been achieved. It consisted of evacuating nations. So our work is done and done well. We are all pleased with it." SUPER CAPTION: Commander Richard Esnon, French troop commander The French are taking everything with them. Around 70 troops left on a second wave on Monday afternoon -- and C-130 transport planes ferried backwards and forwards between Libreville and Brazzaville. But they are leaving behind a highly volatile situation. After a couple of days of intermittent bursts of gunfire, fighting flared up again on Sunday -- shortly after the French announced their withdrawal. President Lissouba's forces fired shells across the airport at the rival "Cobra" militias, led by Sassou Nguesso. They retaliated in kind. After the outburst, President Lissouba appealed to Paris not to withdraw its troops - fearing their withdrawal could lead to an all-out fight for control of the airport or even the overthrow of his government. Paris refused his request. The pull-out has intensified efforts to negotiate a peaceful conclusion to the conflict. Delegates from the opposing sides met in Libreville on Monday to prepare the groundwork for a summit between President Lissouba and his rival, Sassou Nguesso. The mini-summit -- hosted by Gabon's President Omar Bongo -- is also being attended by the heads of state of several neighbouring African states: Chad, Mali and the Central African Republic. U-N special envoy Mohamed Sahnoun is also at the meeting. The conflict in the Congo turned violent on June 5th -- when the President's forces cracked down on private militias in the run up to the July 27th Presidential elections. Lassoubi's forces surrounded the home of his predecessor, Denis Sassou Nguesso, leader of the "Cobra" militia -- sparking violent clashes between the two sides. The death toll in the ensuing fighting could run into the hundreds -- some sources say maybe even thousands. On Monday, intermittent fighting occurred throughout the day -- but under an informal arrangement between the French military and the warring factions halted each time the French transport planes left. It followed Sunday's exchanges -- the worst since a cease-fire was negotiated last Wednesday. Around 5-thousand-500 foreigners have been evacuated by the French -- including a number of Franco-Congolese late on Sunday. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...