The Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended military cooperation with former colonial power Belgium after Brussels criticised President Joseph Kabila's choice of prime minister, sources said Friday.

"The decision to suspend military cooperation with Belgium has taken effect. This measure was pending since (Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders) came out and attacked the Congolese authorities," a government official said on condition of anonymity.

Reynders had criticised last week's appointment of Bruno Tshibala as premier as against "the letter and the spirit" of a power-sharing deal brokered to avert a political crisis after Kabila refused to step down after his mandate ran out in December.

The deal, brokered by the influential Catholic Church, called for an opposition leader to be named prime minister -- but Tshibala had been excluded from the main "Rassemblement" (Unity) opposition coalition.

Belgium's military attache in Kinshasa was notified of the decision to suspend military cooperation "at the beginning of the week", a Belgian defence ministry spokeswoman told AFP.

She added that the practical implications of the move "are being analysed", without providing further comment.

Military cooperation between DR Congo and its former colonial master had a bloody start days after the vast central African country's independence in 1960, with a mutiny by Congolese soldiers calling themselves the Public Force against their white officers.

The collaboration came to a halt at the beginning of the 1990s as Western nations cut their ties with dictator Mobutu Sese Seko after accusing the regime of massacring students.

The two countries' militaries began working together again when Kabila came to power in 2001 following the assassination of his father Laurent Kabila.

The elder Kabila, who had chased Mobutu from power in 1997, had prioritised military cooperation with China and North Korea.

Some 30 Belgian troops had been in Congo under the most recent cooperation arrangement, largely training Congolese soldiers. Belgian paratroopers had also been coming to train in joint manoeuvres with the Congolese army.

South Africa, China, the US and France also provide training to Congolese troops. </s> Kinshasa a décidé de suspendre sa coopération militaire avec Bruxelles, a déclaré le ministère belge de la Défense à Jeune Afrique ce jeudi 13 avril. La semaine dernière, le ministre belge des Affaires étrangères avait critiqué la nomination de Bruno Tshibala au poste de Premier ministre.

« Notre attaché de Défense à Kinshasa a reçu un courrier nous informant de la suspension de notre coopération militaire » a déclaré Laurence Mortier, porte-parole du ministère belge de la Défense à Jeune Afrique ce jeudi 13 avril. Une information confirmée par une source militaire congolaise sous couvert d’anonymat.

« Nous sommes en train de faire un inventaire de ce que ce cette coopération recouvrait », a-t-elle poursuivi, ne souhaitant pas s’exprimer davantage sur les motivations de cette décision, une première depuis plus d’une décennie.

Rompue suite à l’arrivée au pouvoir de Laurent-Désiré Kabila à la tête d’une rébellion, en 1997, la coopération militaire entre la RDC et l’ancienne puissance coloniale avait été rétablie peu de temps après l’arrivée au pouvoir de l’actuel président, Joseph Kabila, et n’avait plus été interrompue depuis.

Elle concerne principalement des actions de formation. Les militaires belges avaient notamment formé deux brigades d’interventions rapides, qui s’étaient illustrées contre l’insurrection Enyele, dans l’Équateur, au début des années 2010, puis contre la rébellion du Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) au Nord-Kivu, en 2012 et 2013. Ils accompagnent encore les militaires congolais sur le terrain aujourd’hui.

Critiques de Bruxelles

Cette décision intervient dans un contexte de tension entre Bruxelles et Kinshasa. Le vice-Premier ministre belge et ministre des Affaires étrangères, Didier Reynders, avait notamment critiqué la nomination au poste de Premier ministre de Bruno Tshibala, un transfuge de l’opposition dans un communiqué le 8 avril dernier.

Cette nomination « s’écarte de la lettre et de l’esprit de l’Accord de la Saint-Sylvestre » avait-il notamment estimé. « La Belgique est préoccupée par le fait que les autorités de transition ne disposent pas du large soutien nécessaire », avait-il ajouté.

« Dans ce contexte, et suite à la forte détérioration de la situation sécuritaire et des droits de l’Homme dans différentes parties du pays, la Belgique se concertera avec ses partenaires internationaux concernant les relations avec la RDC » avait encore affirmé le ministre belge. Visiblement, Kinshasa a décidé de prendre les devants. </s> Congolese authorities have arrested two people suspected of involvement in the murder of two U.N. workers in central Democratic Republic of Congo, but one of the prisoners has escaped, a senior prosecutor said Friday.

The announcement was the first reported sign of progress in an inquiry into the deaths of American Michael Sharp and Swede Zaida Catalan, investigators monitoring U.N. Security Council sanctions against individuals and armed groups in Congo.

Their bodies were discovered in a shallow grave on March 27, two weeks after they disappeared in the remote and sparsely populated Kasai-Central province.

Their Congolese interpreter and three Congolese motorbike drivers who accompanied them have not been found, according to the United Nations.

General Joseph Ponde, the army's top prosecutor, did not say when the two suspects were arrested, but said the remaining one had been transferred between facilities on April 4 — meaning the operation must have happened more than a week ago.

He referred to the one suspect in custody, Daniel Mbayi Kabasele, as an "insurgent," without offering further detail or suggesting a motive.

Four police officers responsible for guarding the suspects had been arrested following the escape, he told journalists.

The U.N. mission in Congo had no immediate comment.

Millions died in regional conflicts in eastern Congo between 1996-2003, most from hunger and disease, and dozens of armed groups continue to fight over natural resources and prey on the civilian population.

Hundreds of civilians have been killed and more than one million displaced since last August in central Congo's Kasai region due to fighting between a local militia and security forces. The United Nations has identified at least 23 mass graves.

Meanwhile, Congo has suspended its military cooperation with former colonial power Belgium in protest against criticism last week by Belgium's foreign minister of President Joseph Kabila's selection of a new prime minister, defense minister Crispin Atama Tabe told Reuters on Friday.

The move underlines growing tensions between Congo and international powers, who are pushing for an election by the end of the year to replace Kabila after he refused to step down when his constitutional mandate expired in December.

Belgian foreign minister Didier Reynders said the nomination of Bruno Tshibala violated the spirit of a December deal with the opposition to form an interim power-sharing government.

Belgian defense ministry spokeswoman Laurence Mortier confirmed that Congo had informed Belgium of its intention to end the cooperation, which included around 30 Belgian military trainers in Congo who may be withdrawn as a result. </s> NEW YORK, Sept 19 (Reuters) - European nations will discuss the possibility of imposing sanctions on the Democratic Republic of the Congo given the repeated postponement of elections, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Monday.

Congolese police and anti-government protesters clashed in the capital Kinshasa on Monday, killing at least 17 people including three policemen, during a march against President Joseph Kabila's perceived bid to extend his mandate.

"What counts is the date of the elections. If the elections keep getting postponed it means that Mr Kabila wants to stay in power by all means," Ayrault told reporters in New York where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly. Ayrault called the situation unacceptable.

A senior adviser to Democratic Republic of Congo President Kabila said on Friday he was on a "pleading mission" to Washington to press U.S. officials to support talks between the government and opposition on setting up new elections and not to impose sanctions that could hurt the process.

Asked whether France wanted sanctions such as those Washington has imposed for what it described as the violent suppression of opposition to Kabila's government, Ayrault told reporters: "it's a question we will discuss (among) Europeans, but it's true the situation is very worrying, extremely dangerous and has potential for even more violence."

The vast, mineral-rich central African state has never experienced a peaceful transition of power. Donors fear that growing political instability could turn into armed conflict in a country plagued by militias, especially in its lawless eastern regions.

Millions of people died in regional wars in Congo between 1996 and 2003 that drew in armies from half a dozen countries. (Reporting By John Irish; editing by Grant McCool) </s> The UN, the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU) and the International Organization of La Francophonie (IOF) today released a joint statement warning that the level of violence and reported human rights violations necessitate “an urgent response from the country’s political leaders.”

The statement calls on defence and security forces to exercise restraint in the efforts to restore order, and encourages the recently-initiated dialogue between the Government and the Kamuina Nsapu militia.

The UN, AU, EU and IOF also reiterated their call for a credible investigation into the human rights violation and assurances that the perpetrators are held to account.

In the joint statement, the organizations underscored their support for the 31 December 2016 political agreement.

The agreement – facilitated by Conférence Episcopale Nationale du Congo (CENCO) mediators, and reached in DRC’s capital, Kinshasa, on 31 December 2016 – represents a significant step towards a peacefully managed transition consistent with the democratic principles enshrined in the country’s Constitution. </s> Botswana has urged the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, to step down.

The foreign ministry said the situation is DR Congo is particularly bad “because its leader has persistently delayed holding elections, and has lost control over the security of his country”.

Government troops have clashed with opposition supporters following the refusal of President Mr Kabila to leave office.

He took power in 2001 after his father’s assassination and had been expected to step down in 2016.

He has however reneged on two deals to get him to leave office.

Another deal has set December this year as the deadline for him to hand over power but opposition supporters suspect that he will not. </s> DR Congo on Thursday told the EU to recall its envoy in retaliation for sanctions against 14 officials, including President Joseph Kabila’s champion in elections three days away.

Don’t turn Ilorin to battle ground, union urges politicians

“The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo urges the European Council to proceed without fail in recalling its head of mission within 48 hours,” Foreign Minister Leonard She Okitundu said.

On December 10, European Union foreign ministers extended a travel ban and asset freeze on 14 figures over “the obstruction of the electoral process and the related human rights violations.”

The 14 include Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, a hardline former interior minister chosen by Kabila to be the candidate for his succession in elections on Sunday.

Kabila took office in 2001 at the age of just 29 after succeeding his assassinated father, Laurent-Desire Kabila.

He was due to step down at the end of 2016 after reaching his constitution-limited two terms in office.

But he stayed on, invoking a caretaker clause in the constitution that enables a president to stay in office until a successor is elected.

Protests broke out that were bloodily repressed, leading to scores of deaths.

She Okitundu made the announcement from the foreign ministry, where he earlier called in western diplomats, including EU head of mission Bart Ouvry, a Belgian national.

He said the DRC had “patiently” sought to persuade the EU to either drop or suspend the sanctions “until the elections in the DRC had been held.”

But this had failed, leading to “unilaterally-taken measures” by Brussels, he said.

“This measure (by the DRC) on one side punishes the reprehensible behaviour (of the EU) and on the other comes under the framework of reciprocity,” he said. </s> GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - Botswana blamed Congolese President Joseph Kabila on Monday for his country’s humanitarian and security crisis, in the sharpest criticism yet from an African government of his refusal to step down.

Western powers have repeatedly criticized Kabila whose mandate expired in December 2016, but African countries have trodden more gently, urging progress toward long-delayed elections but avoiding direct condemnations of Kabila.

Congo emerged in 2003 from a five-year war that killed millions, most from hunger and disease, and the current political crisis has contributed to a surge of conflict that has forced millions to flee their homes.

At least 22 people, including 15 civilians, were killed in the past two days in inter-ethnic clashes in eastern Congo’s North Kivu province, a local official said.

“We continue to witness a worsening humanitarian situation in that country mainly because its leader has persistently delayed the holding of elections, and has lost control over the security of his country,” Botswana’s Ministry of International Affairs said in a statement.

Botswana’s statement comes after the resignation of Kabila’s close ally Jacob Zuma as South African president added to uncertainty about his standing among key African states.

Kabila is facing mounting pressure in the streets to organize prompt elections. Security forces killed at least two people at a church-led march on Sunday. More than a dozen protesters have been killed since December.

Police said on Monday that an officer had been arrested for violating orders by firing a rubber bullet at a protester from too close a range - less than 20 meters (yards), killing him.

However, a doctor at the hospital where the man, pro-democracy activist Rossy Mukendi, died on Sunday, told Reuters he had been hit in the heart by a bullet that had entered and exited his body.

The statement by Botswana, one of Africa’s most stable democracies, urged “the international community to put more pressure on the leadership in the Democratic Republic of Congo to relinquish power and pave way for the ushering in of a new political dispensation”.

Kabila denies he is trying to cling to power but has refused to publicly rule out trying to change the constitution to remove term limits that prevent him from running for re-election, as the presidents of neighboring Congo Republic and Rwanda have done.

Congo’s political turmoil has emboldened the dozens of militia groups that operate in its mineral-rich eastern borderlands.

Fifteen civilians and seven militiamen were killed in two separate attacks on Sunday and Monday by the Hutu-dominated Nyatura militia, local administrator Hope Sabini told Reuters.

The Nyatura fighters were going after a Nande-dominated militia called Mai Mai Mazembe in the villages of Kalusi and Bwalanda, Sabini said. </s> Civilians gather as they listen to the Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila addressing the nation outside Palais du Peuple in the capital Kinshasa, April 5, 2017. Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila pledged on Wednesday to restore order to the country's restive Kasai region, where a worsening insurgency poses the most serious threat to his 16-year rule.

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The Democratic Republic of the Congo suspends its military cooperation with Belgium.