DRC government army controls Kamaniola

The government army of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Tuesday occupied the country's eastern city of Kamaniola, the United Nations Mission in Congo (MONUC) told Xinhua on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the MONUC said normal situation has resumed in Kamaniola and the MONUC is deploying peacekeeping troops in and around the city.

The government army launched an attack on the city which had been controlled by dissident Colonel Jules Mutebesi and his followers. Mutebesi fled to neighboring Rwanda with 300 followers on Monday night, seeking asylum.

Mutebesi, former commander of the 10th military region after the end of the 1998-2003 war, was suspended from his duties following a previous uprising in March. He and Laurent Nkunda, a general of the anti-government group Congolese Rally for Democracy, captured Bukavu on June 2 to stop what they claimed were atrocities against Congolese Tutsi.

Source: Xinhua