Congolese 'massacred' in CAR

Congolese rebel soldiers in Bangui are unpopular

By Joseph Benamsse BBC, Bangui

Up to 125 Congolese troops have been killed in the Central African Republic (CAR), independent sources have confirmed.

Troops from the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC) are backing CAR President Ange-Felix Patasse against CAR rebels, forces loyal to former chief of staff Francois Bozize.

The deaths are a setback for the government, which had recently claimed successes against the CAR rebels.

Mr Patasse is also supported by Libyan troops.

Last month, the government claimed to have chased the rebels out of the capital, Bangui.

Two weeks ago, the government also declared it had pushed the rebels away from their headquarter of Damara, 75 kilometres north of Bangui.

Official silence

In its latest publication, Le Citoyen, a private daily, says that 125 Congolese troops were killed in the village of Mallo, near Damara last week.

A Congolese commander called Mustapha was killed in the fighting and eyewitnesses say that like many others, his body was thrown in the Ombella river.

Outside forces keep Patasse in power

Since the article was published on Friday, the government has kept silent and has not denied the massacre.

Defeats suffered by loyalist forces are usually kept secret by the government.

It is not the first time MLC troops loyal to Jean-Pierre Bemba have suffered serious losses on the battlefield.

In Bangui and in the northern part of the country under the control of General Bozize's men, hundreds have already lost their lives.

Mr Bozize has been exiled to France from neighbouring Chad in an attempt to reduce tensions in the region.

Inexperienced

Military sources in Bangui say that the repeated defeats by Congolese troops are linked to their lack of military experience.

Bozize had been exiled to France

They say that most of the 3,000 men sent in by Mr Bemba to secure the regime of president Patasse are civilians and have never used guns before.

Some are civilians grabbed from the streets of towns under MLC control to be flown to the CAR.

Opposition parties and representatives of civil society have been asking for their departure, but in vain.

Since their arrival, MLC fighters have been accused of widespread abuses, including the killing of innocent civilians, the looting of private houses and rape.