Citation
KIGALI, April 13 (Reuter) - Belgian paratroopers said they evacuated
the last foreigners from Kigali on Wednesday as rebels tightened their
grip around the central African capital ravaged by days of tribal
bloodshed.
A Belgian contingent toured the city and picked up more than 40
expatriates, including 12 Americans and 15 Poles, and escorted them to
the international airport on the edge of the rambling capital.
Rwandan rebels battled their way near Kigali on Wednesday exchanging
artillery, mortar and cannon fire with government forces while
thousands of refugees poured out of the city.
Much of the southern part of the city is under our control. In the
north, we are still on the outskirts, but not in the city itself,
Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) spokesman Wilson Rutayisire told Reuters.
He rejected reports of a ceasefire call from regular army units.
How can we agree to that while they are still killing people?,
he
said.
He said fleeing troops of the Hutu-dominated army were killing people,
mainly members of the minority Tutsi tribe, as they passed through the
southern areas of Changugu, Butare, and Kibungo.
RPF forces have crept into the city from outlying districts to
reinforce a 600-strong contingent, stranded in the city under a
shattered peace accord.
Residents said heavy fighting erupted at dawn, but died down again
later in the day.
Army helicopter gunships pounded rebels advancing on the headquarters
of the paramilitary gendarmarie at Kacyiru in the northeast of the
capital, where thousands of people have died in tribal warfare since
the president was killed last week.
As the rockets were unleashed, rebel positions peppered the sky with
anti-aircraft fire. Witnesses said the Parliament building where the
rebel contingent was stationed took several direct hits.
Western troops still in the capital after organising an evacuation of
hundreds of foreigners said government forces were demoralised and
ill-disciplined and had little hope of repulsing the advance.
The RPF are advancing, they infiltrate at night, particularly around
dawn, fight with government troops and then move on. They are good
infantry, they seem very well trained,
said Belgian paratroop
commander Captain Christophe Onraet.
He said it was very difficult to say where the demarcation lines
between rebel and government forces were, but said the RPF fighters
appeared to have slipped through the city's southern defence lines.
Captain Ronny Verneers, commander of 90 Belgian paratroopers at the
French school -- main assembly point for evacuees -- said he expected
to receive orders to pull back to the airport by Thursday morning.
Belgium wants all its nationals out of the battered capital before a
deadline from advancing rebels of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)
runs out. But it was not clear if the ultimatum expires Wednesday or
Thursday night.
The advancing rebels aim to take over a city bathed in the blood of
thousands slaughtered in a tribal bloodbath sparked by last Wednesday's
killing of Hutu President Juvenal Habyarimana.
Thousands of Rwandans were reported to be fleeing the country to
neighbouring states. One journalist said she saw an eight-mile (13-km)
river of people heading out of the capital.
Thousands have already fled into Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda and Zaire,
aid workers said.
U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali said on Wednesday the
Security Council must decide quickly what to do about the situation in
Rwanda in order to prevent a spillover into neighbouring Burundi, whose
president was also killed in Wednesday's attack.
(c) Reuters Limited 1994
