Kinshasa - September 20, 2008 – New clashes with heavy weapons took place today between the forces of the Congrès National pour la Défense du Peuple and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), on the hills overlooking the town of Sake, located some 20km from Goma, capital of North Kivu.

Fire was opened by the FARDC around 5am this morning, and intense clashes continued all day, causing new displacements of people from Sake to Goma.

The proximity of the forces on the ground strongly reduced the capacity of direct military intervention by MONUC Forces to put an end to the clashes. Throughout the day, the latter redoubled efforts, without success, to obtain an immediate ceasefire between the parties.

MONUC insisted in particular on the dramatic impact of these new confrontations on the civilian populations, in particular on tens of thousands of people displaced since last year and living in camps on the Sake-Goma road.

At 7pm local time, shootings of a lesser intensity continued to be heard on the hills of Sake, and MONUC continued to negotiate a cease fire between the CNDP and the FARDC.

In addition to its repeated interventions among the two parties, MONUC Forces took all the necessary measures to prevent any attempt at a CNDP advance towards Goma, and to protect the civilians in the zones from the clashes.

Facing a fast deterioration of the humanitarian situation in North Kivu, MONUC launches a call to all the parties to take up their responsibilities.

The Mission took high note of the reaffirmation of the ceasefire made yesterday in Goma, by the Minister for Defence in the name of the Congolese Government and in his communiqués made public on the subject this Saturday.

He launched an urgent call to all the armed groups who are signatories to the Goma Acts of Engagement to respect the ceasefire immediately.