KINSHASA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- FARDC, the national army of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has regained control of the northwestern city of Mbandaka, hours after Enyele insurgents claimed to have snatched it in a surprise attack, according to the military.

"The army controls the city and the situation is calm," the governor of Equateur, Jean-Claude Baende, declared late Sunday, adding the Enyele insurgents were routed by the government forces who were pursuing the disbanded elements.

The governor, who has stayed in the capital Kinshasa since last week, said the incursion caused a heavy loss of lives and that some assailants were captured in the fighting. He did not give details.

The slain included a blue casque of MONUC, the UN peacekeeping mission in DR Congo, who was killed near the Mbandaka airport. The rebels held the airport only briefly.

Provincial Minister of Communication Rebecca Ebale said about 100 insurgents had requisitioned the ship "Malaika" owned by a company GAP before landing at the River Congo port of Bankita. They then launched the raid on the capital city of the province.
The rebel swoop came after Governor Baende, announced the end of the months old Enyele rebellion on Tuesday.

Baende said "the Enyele rebellion" was no longer "an organized group, but just as small groups of residual elements who are searching for means of survival."

The armed youths from the Enyele tribe started attacking on Oct. 30 on the Boba tribe over the control of fishing points in Dongo. But when they were carried away by their victories, they formed a rebel movement and began to take away some other localities like Buburu in the Gemena district.

In early January, FARDC said it had taken control of Dongo, driving the insurgents out of the stronghold after fighting.

The Enyele insurgency has killed more than 100 people, including police officers intervening the tribal clash. It has also caused massive displacement, with 50,000 refugees still taking shelter in Impfondo in the Republic of Congo.