CONGO: PRESIDENT PASCAL LISSOUBA DENIES OPPOSITION CLAIMS

Описание: (12 Oct 1997) Eng/French/Nat

The President of the Republic of Congo, Pascal Lissouba, announced on Saturday that his government was in control of Brazzaville's airport and the presidential palace.

Opposition forces had claimed to have captured the two strategic places in their two-day-old offensive.

Despite conflicting reports, forces loyal to President Lissouba of the Republic of Congo were in control of both the presidential palace and Brazzaville airport on Saturday.

Only on Friday, the forces of the opposition "Cobra" militia had claimed to have captured the presidential palace, along with the Brazzaville airport, in their two-day-old offensive.

But on Saturday, Lissouba's soldiers said they had won repeated battles against Cobra militiamen.

Lissouba arrived at the presidential palace in the Congolese capital of Brazzaville on Saturday with the echo of gunfire cracking in the distance.

His soldiers and allied militia members obviously feared another Cobra attack, ducking bullets, as the presidential motorcade arrived at the palace.

Walking into the presidential palace, the President of the Republic of Congo, Pascal Lissouba, announced he had come home.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I am home, you have seen that I am home. I am home, the airport, nothing. Regarding radio and television, all things are in hands of our army. It means that it is always, and as a rule of our people."
SUPER CAPTION: Pascal Lissouba, President of the Republic of Congo

On Friday, Lissouba himself seemed to indicate that the airport had fallen to the Cobras, but insisted on Saturday he had been misunderstood.

And he wanted to make sure his visitors understood the Cobras had not succeeded.

SOUNDBITE: (French)
"The forces of the enemy against us? The Congolese people are the Congolese people, they are the force. How can a force impose itself on our people? We are slaves of our people."
SUPER CAPTION: Pascal Lissouba, President of the Republic of Congo

Prime Minister Bernard Kolelas's "Ninja" militia has rallied behind Lissouba.

The Ninja militia had been involved in ethnic and political fighting in 1993, but until now has kept out of this latest conflict.

Ninja militia members said on Saturday they had helped government forces drive opposition Cobra militia from the airport of the Congolese capital, Brazzaville.

SOUNDBITE (French)
The airport is ours. It is not Cobra's. We are 'ninjas' and we will wait for them here."
SUPER CAPTION: "Ninja" Fighter

Despite being in control of the airport, incoming mortar and artillery rounds could be heard nearby.

The signs of intense fighting at the airport were evident.

The bodies of rival Cobra militiamen lay strewn on the ground, along with abandoned mortar rounds around the airport tarmac and close to the main terminal.

But this lieutenant said that despite skirmishes his troops had the situation under control.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Cobra's forces are not here. Sometimes we have skirmishes with them. But we have control of the situation."
SUPER CAPTION: Lieutenant Loubaki Christian Euloge, The Intervention Group for Presidential Security

The civil war has divided this Central African country since June, with the front line running through the centre of Brazzaville.

The Cobras, under the command of former military ruler General Denis Sassou-Nguesso, now control about three-quarters of the country.

Lissouba's forces control the country from Brazzaville to the Atlantic Ocean.


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