Kabila blames unrest on 'dark' national, foreign forces

KINSHASA (AFP) - Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila on Friday blamed "dark national and foreign forces" for violent unrest in the eastern part of the country.

Rwanda has denied accusations it has been helping a mutiny in eastern DR Congo by former Congolese Tutsi rebels known as M23, who had been integrated into the army but defected this year.

Kabila said on public television that the country's Independence Day celebrations on June 30 would be marred by "rogues manipulated by dark national and foreign forces" responsible for a mutiny.

These actions, Kabila said, had "once again brought violence to Nord-Kivu province and forced thousands of our countrymen to err and fall into insecurity".

Rwanda has been accused of supporting the mutiny, but Kabila did not name the neighbouring country in his speech.

The rebel chief in the unrest is Bosco Ntaganda, a warlord wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges.

The UN released a report on Tuesday whose annex, as yet unpublished but a copy of which was obtained by AFP, said senior Rwandan Defence Forces officers "in their official capacities, have been backstopping the rebels through providing weapons, military supplies and new recruits".