DR Congo Army regains control of Mbandaka

The Enyele insurgents, who killed a Ghanaian U.N. Peacekeeper, when they took the  airport of Mbandaka, have been flushed out of the northwestern city  by FARDC, national army of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Ghanaian, who was serving with MONUC, the UN peacekeeping mission in DR Congo, was killed near the Mbandaka airport. His identity is being withheld until the next of kin is informed. The rebels held the airport only briefly.

FARDC regained control of Mbandaka hours after Enyele insurgents snatched it in a surprise attack, according to the DRC Military sources.

“The army controls the city and the situation is calm,” Governor of Equateur, Jean-Claude Baende declared late Sunday, saying the Enyele insurgents were routed by the Government forces.

The Governor, who has stayed in the capital Kinshasa since last week, said the incursion caused a heavy loss of lives and that some of the assailants were captured in the fighting. He did not give details.

Provincial Minister of Communication, Rebecca Ebale said about 100 insurgents had seized a ship “Malaika” owned by a private company (GAP) before landing at the River Congo port of Bankita. They then launched the raid on the capital city of the province.

The armed youths from the Enyele ethnic group attacked and defeated the Boba ethnic group over the control of fishing points in Dongo in October 2009. After their victories, they formed a rebel movement and began to take away some other localities like Buburu in the Gemena District.

In early January 2010, FARDC said it had taken control of Dongo and driven the insurgents out of their stronghold after fighting.

More than 100 people, including Police Officers have been killed in the Enyele insurgency and about 50,000 refugees have taken shelter at Impfondo in the Republic of Congo.

Source: GNA