Stranded at a Congolese airport

Ugandan troops pulled out of Kisangani in June

The withdrawal of some 4,000 Ugandan soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo has resumed, after logistical and financial difficulties.

Most are being flown from the dilapidated airport at Buta, where the troops retreated on foot some 350 km (200 miles) from the northeastern city of Kisangani after the end of heavy fighting there in which some 700 died.

However, the Ugandan army has a problem.

Many of the soldiers have been followed by their Congolese partners, some with children and others pregnant. Many of them are just 16 or 17 years old.

The Ugandan military has promised to help the women join their husbands.

But more than 400 wives and girlfriends of the Ugandan soldiers are already reported to be waiting at Buta airport.

And several have given birth while waiting.

One Ugandan officer estimates there could be as many as 1,000 Congolese women wanting to join their husbands/partners, who are heading back home after nearly two years at war.

Reasons to leave

Some of the women have enough money to buy tickets for commercial flights, but many others are being vetted by the army to see if their cases are genuine.

I walked here to follow my Ugandan husband. I am anxious to get to Uganda to join him. He has already left

Eliza, aged 17

Seventeen-year-old Eliza from Kisangani, with a new born baby, is among those who wants to go to Uganda.

"I'm from Kisangani. I walked here to follow my Ugandan husband. I am anxious to get to Uganda to join him. He has already left," she said.

She sleeps on a mat in a derelict concrete room at the airport, with four other heavily pregnant teenagers.

Some of the women have been rejected by their families and so are desperate to leave.

"People there do not think it is good that we were made pregnant by Ugandans, so they wanted us to go," said a heavily pregnant 17-year-old called Gina.

Army promises

Army commander Major-General Jeje Odongo, who is overseeing the return of the soldiers, promises that transport will be provided.

Of course we will give assistance to these ladies. We welcome them. This is pan-Africanism. Some of my soldiers, who are aged 17 to 18, came straight to the DR Congo after school, so these women are their first families.

Ugandan army official Colonel Sula Semakula

"The women will be allowed to follow their husbands but they will have to be screened because there are those who simply want to travel to Uganda," he said.

But many of the women have already spent four days in the open waiting for travel arrangements to be finalised and they are tired.