UN peacekeeping mission in eastern DR of Congo aids national army

Troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have gone to the aid of the national army which had come under attack from a militia in the country's north-east Ituri district, a UN spokesman said today.

"The peacekeepers were informed on Sunday that the national army troops were under attack by militia members in Kagaba, and the militia included women and children," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at the daily briefing in New York.

Peacekeepers from the contingents of Pakistan, Nepal, Morocco and Bangladesh, along with two attack helicopters, were taking part in the operation to ensure that the DRC national army controlled the area, he said. The mission is known by its French acronym, MONUC.