U.N., Govt. Troops Hit Rebel Positions in DR Congo

W300

U.N. and Democratic Republic of Congo government troops on Thursday bombarded rebel positions in the country's strife-torn eastern region of Nord-Kivu.

Three helicopters belonging to the United Nations DR Congo mission -- MONUSCO -- and two gunships of the DR Congo army (FARDC) were seen and explosions were heard around the villages of Nkokwe and Bukima, where rebels from the M23 group are thought to have some positions.

Officials from the U.N. and the army confirmed attacks were underway, as did the mutineers.

"The FARDC are currently attacking our positions, but they don't know where we are. There's no problems," a colonel from the mutiny told Agence France Presse.

Nkokwe and Bukima are about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the Nord-Kivu capital Goma.

The two locations are on the western border of the Virunga national park, which abuts Rwanda and Uganda, where the mutineers have since May held several hills, despite regular shelling from the FARDC and MONUSCO.