UN troops arrived in a strategic city in the Democratic Republic of Congo today after rebels lifted their objections, a UN spokesman said.
Rally for Congolese Democracy rebels on Thursday lifted their objection to the deployment of the Moroccan troops to northeastern Kisangani. They had earlier demanded UN condemnation of alleged government ceasefire violations.UN officials had warned that the rebel block, which prevented the Moroccans from deploying on Sunday, could threaten a peace plan to end the war which started in 1998.They (the Moroccans) were received by the force commander and representatives of the RCD. They received a warm welcome, Juan Pekmez, spokesman for the United Nations mission in the Congo (MONUC), told reporters.The deployment of armed UN troops to protect observers is part of efforts to end the civil war in the vast Central African country, which has dragged in several foreign armies.