Things are not going well in Northeast Congo, as rebels are advancing on a strategic crossroads and the Congolese army is bailing out:
The Congolese army prepared to abandon a town in the east of the country on Tuesday as rebels advanced upon it, the army said on Tuesday.
Tutsi rebels fought their way along a road to Rutshuru, around 100 km (60 miles) north of North Kivu's provincial capital Goma on the third day of an offensive launched on Sunday.
Rutshuru detail map
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More disturbing, however, are reports thatUN Peacekeepers are also running away:
Rebels vowing to take Congo's eastern provincial capital of 600,000 people advanced toward Goma on Tuesday as Congolese troops and U.N. tanks retreated in a haze of fumes.
Adding to the melee, tens of thousands of civilians jammed the roads. Many were carrying huge bundles of clothes, pots and bedding on their heads. Even young children balanced sacks of food on their heads, walking along rutted roads in bare feet.
The UN is, however, taking enough time to help get relief and aid workers kinda/sorta outta harm's way
U.N. peacekeepers prepared to evacuate around 50 foreign aid workers from a town in violence-ravaged eastern Congo on Tuesday as Tutsi rebels advanced towards it, officials said.
The rebels fought their way along a strategic road towards the town of Rutshuru, around 100 km (60 miles) north of North Kivu's provincial capital Goma, early on Tuesday, drawing within 10 km (6 miles) of Rutshuru.
Goma detail map
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Great historical synopsis and links to the combatant groups over at GlobalSecurity.org
As to the Tutsi rebels leading the charge, you may remember them from the brief civil war/massacre in Rwanda in '94. Last time, the Tutsis were on the receiving end of the bloodshed; this time, they appear to be leading it.
By: Brant
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