DR Congo, Burundi armies track down Burundi rebels in border region

Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) army and the Burundi army have launched operations within their respective national territories, to track down Burundi rebels, National Liberation Forces, within the border regions, official sources said Monday.

The commander of Sokola II operation sector in South Kivu province, Gen. Bwange Safari, who gave the information, said the Burundi rebels were on the run in the zone.

According to DR Congo army, the objective is to clear any remaining members of the Burundi rebels who were spotted along the border between DR Congo and Burundi.

Heavy gunshots that were heard on Monday morning did not allow farmers to access their farms, local sources told Xinhua.

"Whereas the DR Congo army was deployed on the Congolese side, the Burundi army was on the other side, along river Ruzizi, for a similar operation," the same sources said.

Local civil society groups said in the month of March, four Burundi rebels were arrested in the region. The rebels told DR Congo army that a group of about 200 rebels had crossed to the Congolese territory from Burundi.

General Safari acknowledged that about 40 Burundi rebels, among them six minors, had been arrested in the last three months. He said the ongoing military operation will last for three days. Enditem