Namibia

French/Span/Nat Angolan troops were guarding the strategic Congolese port town of Matadi on Sunday after rebel forces trying to oust President Laurent Kabila deserted their positions. The Angolans took control of Matadi over the weekend after the rebels put up only light resistance before fleeing into the surrounding forest. The loss of Matadi, one of the last major rebel strongholds, is a blow to the insurgent force that just weeks ago seemed poised to take the capital, Kinshasa, about 350 kilometers to the northeast. This is the town of Matadi, just over 350 kilometers south-west of the Congolese capital Kinshasa. After a brief outburst of fighting on Sunday, it's now a government prize. SOUNDBITE: (French) "The armed forces have had to take control of the whole south western border area with Angola so that enemy elements don't return. Because there has been too much fighting between Matadi and Songololo. There has been a lot of resistance because the rebels have the support of U-N-I-T-A." SUPER CAPTION: Faustin Munene, Interior Minister D-R Congo Angolan troops are now guarding the strategic port which was one of the last major rebel strongholds. President Laurent Kabila's government in recent days has regained ground nearly as quickly as it was lost to the rebels - believed to be backed by neighboring Rwanda and Uganda. A fire at Matadi's port - the only major Congo River port serving inland southwestern Congo - raged in one warehouse, but the shipping facility was otherwise undamaged and city streets were deserted. Kabila's cabinet director, Abdoulaye Yerodia, earlier had described major destruction at the port saying it was a signal of what would come if rebel plans to take Kinshasa succeeded. Angolan troops teamed up with Kabila's beleaguered military more than a week ago and have helped turn the tide against the rebel force - a coalition army of ethnic Tutsi fighters and former soldiers in Kabila's army. Zimbabwe and Namibia are also fighting on behalf of Kabila. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) - (paraphrased) "The Angolan forces came to help the legitimate government of the Democratic Government of Congo. At the same time we are defending vital Angolan interests." SUPER CAPTION: General Joao de Matos, Chief of Staff Angolan Army Away from Matadi, the capital Kinshasa was quiet on Sunday after days of pitched combat on its western and eastern suburbs. The fighting in the capital left bodies scattered through the streets and triggered a vicious spree of lynching and summary executions. Officials say hundreds and perhaps thousands of rebel fighters have surrendered or been killed just in the past few days of fighting. Rebel leader Jean-Pierre Ondekane, however, remained defiant and insisted the fight to oust Kabila would continue. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/12e533d76ca3308edcc6daa62ab14c39 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

• published: 21 Jul 2015
• views: 37686