The Congolese army claimed today that it killed 120 rebels in eastern Congo.
Twelve Congolese troops were also killed in the fighting, said government spokesman Lambert Mende in the capital, Kinshasa.
The heavy fighting between Congo's army and the M23 rebels resumed today after erupting yesterday afternoon following the arrival from Rwanda of more than 100 armed men disguised in women's clothing, say residents.
"They were wearing kikwembe" a Congolese shawl worn by women" "over their uniforms, and women's headscarves," said Bifumbu Ruhira, a farmer at the village of Kanyarucinya on the front line between the Congolese army and the M23 rebels, who started fighting the government last year.
Ruhira told the Associated Press he saw the oddly dressed combatants get off two trucks on the Rwandan side and run across the border. "They were wearing kikwembe to confuse us, to conceal the fact they were soldiers," he said. "The whole village was afraid and I said to my wife, 'Get to Goma,'" he said, naming the nearby provincial capital which he thought would be safe from the fighting.
A report by the United Nations panel of experts studying Congo, made public in June, alleges that Rwandan soldiers have joined the M23 in recent months, a claim that Rwanda adamantly denies.
Last year, the UN experts alleged that entire units from the Rwandan army had travelled to Congo to reinforce the M23 in battle. Though Rwanda has consistently denied supporting M23, the allegations have been deemed plausible by numerous donor countries, which have cut off aid to Rwanda over the accusations.
Both sides blamed each other for the renewed fighting. The Congolese army and Rwandan rebel allies attacked the M23 positions 12 kilometers north of Goma, charged rebel spokesman Vianney Kazarama.
Small arms, mortar and rocket fire was moving westwards yesterday, suggesting the M23 made some initial gains.
But the heavier fire appeared to be coming from the Congolese army, which was reinforced with tanks, and today the army launched an attack at Kibati, an M23 controlled village.
Peace talks between the Congolese government and the M23 stalled again last week as the head of the M23 delegation, Rene Abandi, complained that the head of the government delegation had left the talks.
