UNITA official ill in Namibia

A leading representative in Namibia of UNITA, Angola's main rebel movement, has collapsed in detention, and is now in intensive care in hospital.

The official, Jose Domingos Sikunda, was detained a month ago in the northern town of Rundu, near the Angolan border.

A hospital doctor told the French news agency, AFP, that Mr Sikundu was in a critical, but stable, condition.

Since he was detained, Mr Sikunda has been at the centre of a High Court battle aimed at securing his release.

However, Namibia says that he was arrested and detained in accordance with a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for travel and residence permits for all ranking UNITA members to be withdrawn.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service