MoH summons person for spreading misinformation that ginger causes strokes    Takamol Holding to showcase advanced technology solutions and services at LEAP 2025    GEA hosts mass wedding of 300 couples at "Night of a Lifetime" celebration during Riyadh Season 300 cars and housing as gifts for the newlyweds    7 Saudi hospitals advance in Brand Finance's 2025 rankings    Makkah deputy emir inaugurates 179 educational projects in Makkah and Jeddah    Food Culture Festival kicks off in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter    Saudi Arabia to present 'The Um Slaim School: An Architecture of Connection' at Biennale Architettura 2025 Syn Architects explore Riyadh's architectural heritage, fostering new pedagogical approaches and global dialogue    Trump's offer to 'take ownership' of Gaza draws international outrage    USAID employees around the world will be placed on leave Friday and ordered to return to US    Al Hilal reclaims top spot in AFC Champions League Elite with 4-1 win over Persepolis    Billionaire philanthropist Aga Khan dies    At least ten people killed in Swedish school shooting, authorities say    Trump says US will 'take over' Gaza Strip and doesn't rule out using American troops    Royal Decree Enhances Integrity and Recovers Public Funds    SRMG Think hosts high-level discussion on IMF's latest GCC economic report in Riyadh    Trump: US aims to catch up Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund    PetroRent signing ceremony marks innovative collaboration between Petromin and Transregions to transform car rental and leasing services    Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice as Al Nassr thrashes Al Wasl 4-0 in AFC Champions League Elite    Al Ahli extends unbeaten run with 3-1 comeback win over Al Sadd in AFC Champions League Elite    Grammy Awards 2025: Beyoncé wins best country album    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



TWO POLICE KILLED IN CONGO ELECTION VIOLENCE
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 27 - 07 - 2006

TWO CONGOLESE POLICEMEN WERE KILLED ON THURSDAY WHEN SUPPORTERS OF A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WENT ON THE RAMPAGE AFTER PART OF HIS COMPOUND WAS DESTROYED BY A FIRE DAYS BEFORE HISTORIC ELECTIONS, U.N. OFFICIALS SAID, ACCORDING TO REUTERS.
FOLLOWERS OF FORMER REBEL CHIEF JEAN-PIERRE BEMBA ALSO LOOTED A CHURCH AND SET BUILDINGS ABLAZE AS TENSIONS FLARED IN THE RIVERSIDE CAPITAL AHEAD OF WHAT WILL BE THE FIRST MULTI-PARTY POLLS IN 40 YEARS IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.
THE VIOLENCE IN KINSHASA ERUPTED A DAY AFTER A CONGOLESE MILITIA CHIEF IN THE EAST OF THE COUNTRY AGREED TO DISARM IN A MOVE WELCOMED BY U.N. PEACEKEEPERS IN THE COUNTRY.
POLICE WERE ATTACKED AFTER A MYSTERY BLAZE DESTROYED A BARRACKS HOUSING BODYGUARDS OF BEMBA, A VICE-PRESIDENT IN THE TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT WHO IS STANDING IN SUNDAY'S LANDMARK POLLS, U.N. OFFICIALS SAID.
AS NIGHT FELL, TRUCKLOADS OF RIOT POLICE PATROLLED THE STREETS OF THE CAPITAL.
A REUTERS REPORTER SAW THE BURNED BODY OF A CHILD IN THE RUINS OF THE BARRACKS. U.N. RADIO SAID TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE FIRE, THE CAUSES OF WHICH WERE NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOWN.
ANGRY BEMBA SUPPORTERS ACCUSED FRENCH MIRAGE JETS, WHICH FLEW LOW OVER THE CAPITAL AS PART OF A EUROPEAN MILITARY FORCE BACKING THE U.N. PEACEKEEPING MISSION, OF BOMBING THE BARRACKS. A EUROPEAN FORCE SPOKESMAN DISMISSED THE ACCUSATION.
THE BEMBA SUPPORTERS CHASED AWAY U.N. VEHICLES AND ROUGHED UP FOREIGN JOURNALISTS NEAR A RALLY IN SUPPORT OF THE CANDIDATE.
THEY ALSO SET FIRE TO THE NATIONAL MEDIA AUTHORITY OFFICE, A BEER WAREHOUSE AND A MUSICIAN'S HOME AND LOOTED A PROTESTANT CHURCH, WITNESSES SAID. THE PRO-BEMBA MILITANTS ACCUSED THE MUSICIAN AND THE CHURCH'S PASTOR OF BEING SUPPORTERS OF PRESIDENT JOSEPH KABILA.
"THE PEOPLE STOLE EVERYTHING FROM THE CHURCH. THEY EVEN SET FIRES INSIDE. THE PASTOR FLED," SAID RAPHAEL KOSE, 39, WHO SAW THE INCIDENT. WITNESSES SAID POLICE FIRED WARNING SHOTS BUT LEFT SHORTLY AFTER.
BEMBA IS ONE OF 32 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, WHO ALSO INCLUDE KABILA.
SUNDAY'S POLLS ARE AIMED AT USHERING IN A NEW ERA OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY FOR THE CONGO FOLLOWING A 1998-2003 WAR THAT KILLED AN ESTIMATED 4 MILLION PEOPLE THROUGH CONFLICT, HUNGER AND DISEASE.
THE WORLD'S BIGGEST INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING FORCE, AROUND 17,000 UNITED NATIONS AND 2,000 EUROPEAN UNION TROOPS, IS OVERSEEING THE ELECTIONS.
PEACE DEAL
AT A RALLY ATTENDED BY 40,000 CHEERING SUPPORTERS, BEMBA PREDICTED HE WOULD WIN SUNDAY'S VOTE.
"THE LIBERATION OF CONGO WILL BE COMPLETE ON SUNDAY ... THIS IS THE HOUR OF TRUTH," HE SAID IN A SPEECH.
EARLIER, U.N. OFFICIALS HAD WELCOMED A PEACE DEAL SIGNED BY MILITIA CHIEF MATHIEU NGUDJOLO IN NORTHEAST ITURI DISTRICT LATE ON WEDNESDAY IN WHICH HE AGREED TO LAY DOWN HIS ARMS AND ALLOW VOTING ON SUNDAY.
"THE TWO PARTIES HAVE AGREED ON THE INTEGRATION OF THE MRC (CONGOLESE REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT) FIGHTERS AND A GENERAL AMNESTY FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE MOVEMENT," SAID A STATEMENT ISSUED AFTER WEDNESDAY'S TALKS AND SEEN BY REUTERS.
NGUDJOLO, WHO HEADS A LOOSE COALITION OF MILITIA FIGHTERS IN ITURI CALLED THE MRC, IS ONE OF THE LAST REBELS HOLDING OUT IN THE REGION, WHERE ETHNIC VIOLENCE AND CLASHES BETWEEN MILITIA GROUPS FIGHTING OVER MINES KILLED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS.
SOME CONGO EXPERTS EXPRESSED SCEPTICISM ABOUT THE DEAL WITH NGUDJOLO, WHICH FOLLOWS ANOTHER STRUCK THIS MONTH WITH PETER KARIM, AN ITURI WARLORD WHO KIDNAPPED SEVEN U.N. PEACEKEEPERS.
KARIM HAD VOWED TO DISARM IN RETURN FOR BECOMING AN ARMY COLONEL BUT, SO FAR HAS FAILED TO DISBAND HIS FIGHTERS.


Clic here to read the story from its source.