Wednesday, 17 January, 2001, 00:01 GMT
Kabila shot in Congo coup attempt



Kabila: Shot by his own bodyguard

The Belgian foreign ministry says that according to reliable sources, the
Congolese president Laurent Kabila has been shot and killed.
A Belgian spokesman told the BBC the sources said Mr Kabila died during the
afternoon after being shot by his personal bodyguard. He said he did not know
whether reports that the incident was part of an attempted coup were true.

Earlier, reports from Kinshasa said the president had been wounded by two
shots to his back and leg, and taken to hospital.

The Interior Minister, Gaetan Kakudjii, said a curfew had been ordered by
President Kabila himself - implying that the president was still in control
despite rumours of his death.

The Congolese authorities ordered the closure of sea, land and air routes
into Kinshasa and the army took control of the capital's airports. Phone
links were also cut for a time.

The situation in the capital is reported to be quiet with no disturbances of
any kind.

The first reports of the president's death originated from officials in
Uganda and Rwanda - both of which are backing rebels seeking to overthrow the
Kabila government.

Shooting was heard in the vicinity of the presidential palace around midday,
and lasted for about one hour. City streets were largely deserted later.

No incidents have been reported from other Congolese cities.

Empty streets

Interior Minister Kakudjii said on television that President Kabila, as "the
supreme commander of the Congolese armed forces," had ordered the curfew in
order to secure the capital as part of a "general alert" among the security
forces.

Soon after the shooting, Colonel Eddy Kapend, the presidential chief of
staff, urged citizens to be calm.

"The Congolese people need your serenity and your discipline," Colonel Kapend
said.

Many Kinshasa residents hurried home after the broadcast, and many streets
quickly emptied.

Reports said telephone lines had been cut, and television and radio services
interrupted.

President Kabila's hilltop residence in central Kinshasa is known as the
Marble Palace and is usually heavily guarded by soldiers and a North
Korean-made tank.

In Nigeria, President Olusegun Obasanjo has decided to cancel a planned visit
to Kinshasa following news of unrest, his spokesman said.

Unstable history

DR Congo has been in turmoil since 1996, when Rwandan-backed rebels launched
their war against the ailing President Mobutu Sese Seko.

That rebellion led to President Kabila's installation in 1997 - but since
1998 he has himself been facing a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda.

At least six neighbouring states are currently involved in the war in DR
Congo, with some backing the government, others the rebels.

Various rebel groups currently control roughly half the country.

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President Kabila shot


Profile: Laurent Kabila
DR Congo's troubled history
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