Q&A: DR Congo conflict

A rebel general has called a ceasefire in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, stopping short of seizing Goma, one of the largest towns in the region.
Some 20,000 people have fled the advance of Gen Laurent Nkunda's troops. They join an estimated one million already displaced in the region, raising fears of another humanitarian disaster.

DR Congo, a vast nation in the heart of Africa, is striving to recover from a lengthy civil war in which an estimated three million people died, mostly through starvation and disease.

What is the conflict about?

For years fighting in DR Congo has been fuelled the country's vast mineral wealth.

DR Congo is about the size of western Europe, but with no road or rail links from one side of the country to the other. That makes it easy for all sides in a conflict to take advantage of any anarchy and plunder natural resources.

A five-year war - sometimes termed "Africa's world war" as it drew in Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Rwanda - ended in 2003 with the formation of a transitional government and the subsequent holding of elections.

But unrest has continued in the unruly east of the country and as a result some armed groups have refused to disarm or join the national army.

Gen Nkunda's forces started fighting again in August 2008, after a lull following a peace deal signed in January.

Why has the fighting broken out again?

It is not entirely clear.

But Gen Nkunda has always said he is fighting to protect his Tutsi community from attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels, some of whom are accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide.

The Congolese government has often promised to stop the Hutu forces from using its territory, but has not done so.

The latest deadline was apparently the end of August - just when the fighting blew up again.

After declaring his current ceasefire, Gen Nkunda told the Associated Press that he wanted to talk to the government about his objections to a $5bn (£3.1bn) deal that gives China access to the region's mineral resources - such as gold and coltan, which is used to make mobile phones.


Does Gen Nkunda have sponsors?

The Congolese government has accused Rwanda of backing Gen Nkunda, with troops and heavy artillery.

Rwanda denies the claims but it has twice invaded its much larger neighbour in recent years.

Rwanda's president is Paul Kagame - a former Tutsi rebel who ended the genocide, in which some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed.

The Congolese army has been accused of working with the Hutu rebels both on the battlefield and in exploiting the region's mines.

So it is plausible that Rwanda could be using Gen Nkunda's forces to put pressure on DR Congo to finally live up to its promises to disarm the Hutu militias.

What is the UN doing?

That is the question many Congolese are asking.

The UN has 17,000 peacekeepers in DR Congo - its largest mission in the world.

Some Congolese accuse the UN of doing nothing - just being "tourists" - and have attacked their offices in Goma.

But the UN mission has sent helicopter gunships to help stop the rebel advance on Goma and has asked for extra forces to help stop the fighting.

What about the civilians?

Aid workers are extremely worried about tens of thousands of people in the area.

All sides are accused of carrying out horrific atrocities against civilians, in particular mass rape.

Many of those who have fled to Goma are sleeping in the open, relying on local people and aid agencies for food.

Many more are likely to be caught up in the fighting in the region's picturesque rolling hills.

The UN fears that some people are dying from malnutrition.