Congo Rebels Claim Capture of Key Town
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GOMA, Congo — Rebels in Congo said late Monday that they had captured the strategic eastern town of Kindu after a week of heavy fighting with government troops.
“We have control of the city and the airport,” senior rebel commander Bob Ngoy said.
There was no independent confirmation available. Kindu is about 275 miles southwest of Goma.
The rebels are fighting to topple President Laurent Kabila, who accuses neighboring Rwanda and Uganda of fomenting the revolt.
They shot down a Congolese Airlines jet near Kindu on Saturday. It remained unclear Monday if the 40 people aboard were civilians, as the government contended, or soldiers, as the rebels maintained.
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