1st LD Writethru: 72 Ugandan rebels killed by DRC army: spokesman

GOMA, DRC, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)'s regular army has shot dead at least 72 Ugandan rebels during an attack from Thursday night to Friday in the eastern province of North Kivu, said a military spokesman.

Contrary to the death toll provided by the UN Special Representative in the DRC, Maman Sidikou, who spoke of five Congolese soldiers killed by the rebels, the spokesman said that one soldier was wounded and another disappeared during the attack.

In a statement issued during the day, the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) confirmed the deaths of 14 peacekeepers, most of whom are from the Tanzanian contingent of the UN-based Rapid Reaction Brigade in the North Kivu province.

In October, the same Tanzanian contingent was attacked in this area by the same armed group that has been active in eastern DRC for more than 20 years. Enditem