THE UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN CONGO SAID ON SUNDAY IT HAD LOST CONTACT WITH SIX NEPALESE U.N. PEACEKEEPERS INVOLVED IN AN OPERATION AGAINST MILITIA FIGHTERS IN THE EAST OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNTRY, REUTERS REPORTED. THE SOLDIERS WERE PART OF A U.N. "CORDON AND SEARCH" MISSION AIMED AT FLUSHING OUT REBELS FROM DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO'S LAWLESS ITURI DISTRICT WHEN CONTACT WAS LOST, SAID KEMAL SAIKI, SPOKESMAN FOR THE U.N. FORCE IN THE FORMER BELGIAN COLONY. "WE HAVE LOST CONTACT WITH THEM AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM. SIX PEACEKEEPERS WERE IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION. THEY WERE SURROUNDED BUT WE HAVE SENT IN REINFORCEMENTS," SAIKI SAID, ADDING U.N. HELICOPTER GUNSHIPS HAD BEEN SENT TO THE AREA. THE OPERATION WAS TARGETING PART OF THE REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT OF CONGO (MRC), A LOOSE ALLIANCE OF ITURI MILITIA FIGHTERS, AND WAS BEING CARRIED OUT IN DHERA, JUST OVER 100 KM (60 MILES) NORTH OF THE MAIN REGIONAL TOWN BUNIA. "THEY WERE ENGAGED WITH THE MILITIA AND SIX OF THEM WERE LEFT BEHIND AND APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN," A U.N. MILITARY SOURCE SAID WITHOUT GIVING FURTHER DETAILS.
