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Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire)

February 2, 2006: The Congolese government said that its forces and UN peacekeepers intended to arrest General Laurent Nkunda (for allegedly leading attacks on government and UN forces). In 2004 troops under his command took control of the town of Bukavu. Nkunda has also said he would resist the Kinshasha government. Nkunda is supposed to be operating in the eastern Congo near the Rwandan border.

The UN also reported that an insurgent militia launched attacks in North Kivu province (eastern Congo). The UN said militia attacks in the area began to increase in mid-January. Several NGOs have been forced to suspend operations in the area. The militias launching the attacks may be aligned with General Nkunda.

January 23, 2006: Eight UN troops were killed. They were from a Guatemalan special operations contingent operating near the Ugandan border. Guatemala's special ops unit is a Ranger-like, commando organization called the Kaibil, named after a Mayan warrior who waged war against the Spanish. The troops are called "Kaibiles." The soldiers were believed to have been part of a UN operation intended to arrest LRA rebel leader Vincent Otti. UN forces were conducting operations and recon missions in the area. Some 80 Guatemalans were involved in the "recon." Some 15 LRA guerrillas may have died in the firefight with the Guatemalans. The Ugandan government still claims that Otti is hiding out in the northeastern Congo, in or near the Garamba National Park. The UN and Congo government have assured Uganda that every effort will be made to either arrest Otti and deny the LRA base areas in the Congo.