Rwandan troops enter Congo in Hutu fight

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Rwandan troops have entered the Democratic Republic of Congo to help in Kinshasa's fight against a Rwandan Hutu militia, the United Nations says.

A U.N. spokesman told the BBC Tuesday that about 2,000 Rwandan troops have crossed the border into Congo's North Kivu province near the city of Goma to join the government's efforts to expel the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda.

Observers said government troops from the Congolese capital, the Rwandan forces and a third group, the Congolese Tutsi rebel group National Congress for the Defense of the People seemed to be joining forces in the effort against the Rwandan Hutus.

The Hutus, held responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus, have been operating in Congo since Tutsis led by current Rwandan President Paul Kagame took control of the country.

The warfare in Congo has forced more than 1 million people in North Kivu to flee their homes since late 2006, the BBC said. Some 250,000 people were displaced beginning in August in fighting between CNDP rebels led by Gen. Laurent Nkunda and the Congolese army. The CNDP reached a cease-fire with Kinshasa last month, the British broadcaster said.