Government troops maintain presence on Kinshasa streets

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2007

KINSHASA (AFP) — Government troops maintained a heavy presence in Kinshasa on Saturday after restoring order to the DRC capital after two days of deadly clashes with forces loyal to a former rebel leader.

Meanwhile the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo was meeting to consider the fallout of the fighting, which it blamed on former warlord Jean-Pierre Bemba who has taken refuge in the South African embassy.

Sufficient calm had returned to the city on Saturday for a visiting French minister to sign a major aid agreement with Congo's foreign minister.

However, the city neighbourhoods in eastern Kinshasa where the fighting took place were still locked down by the army's Republican Guard.

The first official indication of casualties -- 60 dead...