Arrests Rwanda

Rwandan troops fought with guns and bombs for an eighth day to neutralize rebel invaders in the north of their tiny East African country, diplomats said. Western diplomats in Kigali, the capital, said they understand the Rwandan army is still meeting stiff opposition from the 2,000-strong rebel army, which stormed the country Sept. 30. In Kigali, government forces have arrested hundreds of suspected rebel sympathizers, officials said.

Rwanda arrested Congolese rebel leader Laurent Nkunda, a Congolese military spokesman said today. A joint Rwanda-Congo force converged Thursday on Nkunda's stronghold in the Congolese town of Bunagana on the Ugandan border, said Capt. Olivier Hamuli, a spokesman for the joint force. But Nkunda resisted arrest and fled south, crossing into Rwanda, where he was caught, Hamuli said. Rwandan officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Analysts said Rwanda and Nkunda's own commanders had grown irritated by Nkunda, viewing him as an authoritarian megalomaniac who allegedly embezzled money from rebel coffers.

Rwanda announced the arrest of a journalist who allegedly led a radio hate campaign that helped fuel the 1994 genocide in which an estimated 800,000 people were slaughtered. "Valerie Bemeriki was arrested in northwest Rwanda late last week. She will be prosecuted for genocide and crimes against humanity," Justice Minister Jean de Dieu Mucyo said.

Rwanda announced the arrest of a journalist who allegedly led a radio hate campaign that helped fuel the 1994 genocide in which an estimated 800,000 people were slaughtered. "Valerie Bemeriki was arrested in northwest Rwanda late last week. She will be prosecuted for genocide and crimes against humanity," Justice Minister Jean de Dieu Mucyo said.

In a secretive nighttime military operation, Gabon has returned 168 Rwandan refugees to their homeland, where most of the men in the group were immediately arrested, a U.N. official said Tuesday. The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees is trying to locate the men, mainly former government soldiers, who were handcuffed and taken away in military trucks from the airport in Kigali, Rwanda's capital, agency spokeswoman Pam O'Toole said.

Rwanda arrested Congolese rebel leader Laurent Nkunda, a Congolese military spokesman said today. A joint Rwanda-Congo force converged Thursday on Nkunda's stronghold in the Congolese town of Bunagana on the Ugandan border, said Capt. Olivier Hamuli, a spokesman for the joint force. But Nkunda resisted arrest and fled south, crossing into Rwanda, where he was caught, Hamuli said. Rwandan officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Analysts said Rwanda and Nkunda's own commanders had grown irritated by Nkunda, viewing him as an authoritarian megalomaniac who allegedly embezzled money from rebel coffers.

In a secretive nighttime military operation, Gabon has returned 168 Rwandan refugees to their homeland, where most of the men in the group were immediately arrested, a U.N. official said Tuesday. The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees is trying to locate the men, mainly former government soldiers, who were handcuffed and taken away in military trucks from the airport in Kigali, Rwanda's capital, agency spokeswoman Pam O'Toole said.

Rwandan troops fought with guns and bombs for an eighth day to neutralize rebel invaders in the north of their tiny East African country, diplomats said. Western diplomats in Kigali, the capital, said they understand the Rwandan army is still meeting stiff opposition from the 2,000-strong rebel army, which stormed the country Sept. 30. In Kigali, government forces have arrested hundreds of suspected rebel sympathizers, officials said.