United Nations, July 11: Bangladeshi soldiers will start arriving in Bunia in the troubled northeastern Congo on Monday to take over from the 1,400 French troops now deployed to maintain peace in the resource rich region. A United Nations spokesperson said the first 175 Bangladeshi would arrive on Monday and would be followed by another contingent of 1665.

They will be part of the 3,800 strong peacekeeping force from several countries that will replace French soldiers sent last month to quell violence.

The Security Council is discussing whether to deploy peacekeepers outside Bunia too and is expected to approve a peacekeeping force of around 10,800. The French troops were deployed as an interim measure in Bunia in Ituri region where hundreds of people died or were mutilated and women were raped in the tribal conflict.
The trouble began in the Congo when Uganda and Rwanda sent troops in 1988 to back rebels trying to overthrow Laurent Kabila's government and Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia sent forces to prop up the regime.

The foreign troops have now been withdrawn following a ceasefire agreement but trouble continues in Northeast region which is rich in natural resources.

Local authorities and humanitarian officials in Bunia have expressed apprehensions over a security vacuum after the withdrawal of the French set for September 01.

Bureau Report