UN: 3 UN personnel killed during northern Congo clashes between military, militia

UN: 3 UN personnel killed in north Congo clashes

KINSHASA, Congo — Three United Nations workers died during clashes between the Congolese military and a militia earlier this week, the U.N. said Tuesday.

The U.N. Mission in Congo said in a press release that a South African pilot and a U.N. peacekeeper from Ghana were killed during the two days of clashes in northern Congo. The U.N. said one of its subcontractors also died Sunday of a heart attack during the fighting.

Dr. Alexis Isanzola told The Associated Press Tuesday that 26 corpses have been received at the local mortuary in Mbandaka since Sunday.

Fighting between the U.N.-backed military and Enyele militiamen in northern Congo began Sunday and continued into Monday.

Col. Makengo, commander of the Congo army in northern Bandaka, told The Associated Press that the army re-seized the airport on Monday with the backing of the U.N. Mission in Congo after militia took it over Sunday. He said the army would continue pursuing the militia.

The Congolese army started battling Enyele militiamen in November after fighting started between the Enyele and Munzale tribesmen, reportedly over farming and fishing rights.

Congo’s president is calling for the U.N.’s 20,000-strong peacekeeping force to leave Congo before September 2011, but no date has been agreed upon.