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Article: Darkness descends on Zaire
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- November 3, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1996 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Who is fighting whom?
When the conflict began in September, it was between the Zairean
army and a group of ethnic Tutsis in eastern Zaire known as the
Banyamulenge. Related to the Tutsis who dominate both Rwanda and
Burundi, they migrated some 200 years ago to what is now eastern
Zaire from the ancient Tutsi kingdom of Rwanda.
But during the past week a localised dispute has escalated into
a war between two nations. Following artillery exchanges between
Rwandan and Zairean troops, Rwandan forces crossed the border and
engaged in street fighting in the strategic town of Goma, capital
of North Kivu province. Rwanda denies arming the Banyamulenge, or
having any territorial ambitions of its ...