African leaders fear Congo war will spread

AFRICAN leaders yesterday called for an immediate ceasefire to end conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as fresh fighting between rebels and government troops flared up in the east of the country.

The United Nations (UN) also voiced fears the renewed combat near Kibati in North Kivu province could engulf the Great Lakes region in violence. After a regional peace summit held in Nairobi yesterday, Moses Wetangula, the Kenyan foreign minister, read a communique agreed by the seven African leaders who met Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general . He said: "There should be an immediate ceasefire by all the armed men and militia in North Kivu."

The leaders, who also included the presidents of Congo and Rwanda, said they would be willing to send peacekeeping troops to east Congo if required. Mr Ban said they must use their influence to curb the violence.

Fighting between Gen Nkunda's Tutsi rebels and the Congolese army has spread along the hilly border with Rwanda, uprooting hundreds of thousands of people and creating a humanitarian crisis.

Juliette Prodhan, head of Oxfam in Congo, said: "We have had fine words but these must now be put into action by providing additional troops to safeguard the people."