The United Nations is investigating reports that renegade soldiers who took control of the eastern Congo border town of Bukavu are moving toward a second city, sources say.
The reports of troop movements by soldiers loyal to General Laurent Nkunda were unconfirmed, said UN spokesmen in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Bukavu. Both said peacekeepers were looking into whether the conflict in eastern Congo was spreading.
"We have reports saying troops are moving out of Bukavu north and south and with the intention of capturing Walikale, said Hamadoun Toure, UN spokesman in Kinshasa.
"Some say they are troops loyal to Nkunda. This is very disturbing. After Walikale there's Kisangani. This is something that would be very dangerous for the peace process and for the region," he added.
Walikale is a transit point on the main road between Bukavu and eastern Congo's biggest city, Kisangani.
A former RCD-Goma rebel, who is now a member of the transitional government, blamed disturbances in Walikale on traditional Mai Mai warriors, normally loyal to the government.
"There are so many Mai Mai who are disgruntled because they thought they would get key positions in government and many of them did not," said the former rebel who asked not to be named.
UN peacekeepers said they would mount aerial surveillance to determine whether Nkunda's men were on the march or whether reports of trouble were unrelated to Bukavu.
"There are troop movements in every direction and if the reports are true by the time we find out it might be too late," said a UN source on Saturday.
Nkunda has said he was moving his troops out of Bukavu to barracks nearby after a week of fighting that threatened to derail Congo's peace process and regional stability.
Congo blames neighbour Rwanda for aiding the renegade troops who say they are fighting government forces to protect fellow Tutsi tribesman.