20120515
AFP
Mutineers in the Democratic Republic of Congo claimed Monday to have killed 26 loyalist troops in heavy fighting near the Rwandan border.

"There was a major firefight that lasted at least 30 minutes in the Mbuzi district. We killed 26 soldiers while suffering just one wounded" in the battle on Sunday, Lieutenant Colonel Vianney Kazarana, a spokesman for the mutineers, told AFP.

He also accused loyalist forces of firing with tanks and mortars on unarmed civilians, saying many had since fled the area where fighting flared up last week.

The mutineers are onetime rebels who were integrated into the national army under a 2009 peace deal but defected again over complaints over their working and living conditions.

Kazarana also accused loyalist troops of carrying out "massive pillaging" in the town of Bunagana.

None of the claims could be independently verified.