U.N. and Congolese troops fought an ethnic militia in the lawless east of Africa's third biggest country on Thursday in a bid to restore government authority, a U.N. spokesman said. "There is a major operation going on at the moment; 375 of our men and 1,500 Congolese soldiers are carrying out an operation to restore the rule of law. Clashes are taking place and the U.N. is giving fire support," said a military spokesman for the U.N. peacekeeping force. U.N. helicopter gunships were taking part in the operation near Fataki, around 75 km (50 miles) north of Bunia, in Ituri province, against a Lendu ethnic militia led by Peter Karim that is accused of atrocities against civilians. The U.N. troops involved in the operation were Nepalese.
