Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) dispatched troop reinforcements and consolidated their positions yesterday before a planned advance on the capital Kinshasa, as western governments advised their nationals to leave the country.
In Goma, the stronghold of the Tutsi-led rebellion in the far east of the country, about 1,000 troops were boarding flights to an unknown destination.
The rebels have already reportedly flown troops and materiel to the Kitona military base which they hold near Matadi, not far from the western coast.
As the noose appeared to tighten on DRC President Laurent Kabila, partial electricity supplies were restored in Kinshasa with a power station some 100 km south of the city being put into action. The rebels announced on Thursday that they had seized the hydro-electric dam at Inga, 400 km south-west of the capital, which supplies Kinshasa and parts of the rest of the country with electricity.
On Thursday afternoon Kinshasa suffered a power blackout. Partial power was restored only yesterday.
The government, through official Voice of the People radio which resumed broadcasts yesterday afternoon, denied the Inga dam was in rebel hands, saying the power cut was a simple "fault."
Aides to Mr Kabila said he was in the capital, contradicting earlier reports that he was staying in his southern stronghold of Lubumbashi. Mr Kabila sacked his armed forces chief of staff, Mr Celestin Kifua, sources said. Rebels now claim control of at least a third of the huge African country, formerly called Zaire.
The rebellion's military chief, Jean-Pierre Ondekane, announced on Thursday the capture of the airport at the key river port of Matadi in the south-west, saying the town itself would fall soon, as would Kisangani.
In the east, the rebels remain in control of the towns of Goma and Bukavu. In the west they control a triangle of territory including the ports of Banana, Moanda and the Kitona military base near the Angolan border, although Kinshasa continues to deny this.
Governments of western countries advised their nationals to leave the country and some airlines suspended flights.
Britain's Foreign Office told its citizens to leave "immediately", while the German government said it might have to close its embassy and called on its people to leave. "
Britain's Ministry of Defence said it had placed 190 Royal Marine commandos on standby to help evacuate Britons if necessary.