Zambia kicks out Congo soldiers

Thousands of civilians have also fled fighting into Zambia

By Ishbel Matheson in Lusaka

The Zambian Government has confirmed that thousands of Congolese soldiers being held in special camps in Zambia have been sent back to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The troops fled into Zambia following an upsurge of fighting with Rwandan-backed rebels in the border area in December.

Zambian Defence Minister Chitalu Sampa told the BBC that about 3,000 Congolese troops had gone and just over 100 soldiers remained.

These had not been repatriated, he said, because of some military issues connected with their status.

About 100 soldiers may be seeking asylum

The Zambian Government is being tight-lipped about the exact nature of the repatriation.

However, journalists who visited the town of Nchelenge in northern Zambia, where many of the soldiers have been held, said those remaining appeared to be army deserters.

They are now claiming asylum in Zambia.

One source in Nchelenge reportedly said the majority of troops had been taken back last week via the southern Congolese town of Lubumbashi.

Controversial

The presence of so many foreign soldiers on Zambian territory has been a real headache for the authorities here.

However, this repatriation will be controversial.

The International War Crimes Tribunal for Rwanda wanted to have access to the detained soldiers.

There have been suspicions that some who sought sanctuary in Zambia were Interahamwe, the extremist Hutu force responsible for mass killings during the Rwandan genocide.

However, it appears that the troops have been sent back before investigators could begin their work.