Zimbabwean jet shot down

Kigali - Rebels fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have shot down a Zimbabwean MiG jet fighter, a senior Rwandan…

Kigali - Rebels fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have shot down a Zimbabwean MiG jet fighter, a senior Rwandan army officer said yesterday.

Maj Emmanuel Ndahiro said Congo rebels, who are backed by Rwanda and Uganda, downed the plane north-east of Kabinda in southern Congo on Wednesday morning. Zimbabwe is backing Congo President Laurent Kabila in the war.

Rebel forces say they wiped out a Zimbabwean battalion near Kabinda on Monday killing 80 troops and their commander, as well as around 130 other loyalist troops. Zimbabwe denied that report.