Fresh fears as DRC rebels besiege airport - surround UN

U.N. Takes Congo Officials Under Protection After Getting False Reports of Airport Siege

GOMA, Congo (AP) - United Nations forces took Congo government officials under their protection Monday after getting word that gunmen had surrounded the airport in the eastern city of Goma, but the reports turned out to be false.

The U.N. radio reports had said that fighters supporting Laurent Nkunda, a commander in the former rebel group that used to control this city, surrounded the airport early Monday as Vice President Azarias Ruberwa was preparing to fly to another eastern Congolese town. Flights had been suspended, the radio said.

But U.N. spokeswoman Jacqueline Chenard said the situation was quiet and the flights were operating as normal. She said a Congo army commander had made a mistake.

"This morning the situation was very confused. One commander had gone to the airport and informed the people there that all flights landing and taking off were canceled and this created panic in Goma," Chenard said. "The government delegation ... decided they didn't feel secure anymore and asked MONUC (the U.N. mission) to take them from their hotel and give them shelter."

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