Congo-Kinshasa: Shooting In Kinshasa, Fate Of Kabila Uncertain

16 January 2001
allAfrica.com
By Staff reporter

Kinshasa — In the Democratic Republic of the Congo today, President Laurent Kabila was reportedly shot during a 30-minute gun battle at the presidential palace. Wire services later reported a presidential helicopter arriving at the main hospital in Kinshasa.

There are conflicting reports on whether he was killed during the fighting. Interior Ministry Gaetan Kakudji denied suggestions that he had died and said: "he's alive and issuing orders".

Immediately after the fighting, presidential aide Eddy Kapend appeared on national television appealing for calm, calling on the army to lay down arms, and forbidding all travel by land, river or air.

Kabila took power in 1997 after a march on the capital by rebels backed by Uganda. Since 1998, Congo has been torn by civil war between Kabila and former allies who have turned against him.

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