THE ZAIREAN army has claimed its first significant victory of the five month civil war, saying it has killed hundreds of rebels in repelling an attack on a strategic town.
The army's claim came as the rebel leader pursued peace efforts in South Africa.
At the same time, the rebels are facing an attack from the Belgian government, which says it is investigating accusations of mass killings in areas held by the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo Zaire.
The Zairean army said it had ambushed rebels advancing on the strategically important town of Kindu, killing hundreds and driving the rest of the force back.
Reuter quoted an unnamed senior defence official as saying the alliance was routed at the village of Muyengo.
The claim could not be independently verified. The Zairean government has been frank in admitting its losses to date, but has made false claims of victories.
If true, it is the first real setback for the rebels in their sweepingly successful campaign against the government's ragged army backed by foreign mercenaries. The Alliance has targeted Kindu as having one of only two airports in the east still in government hands.
In Belgium, the government said it is investigating reports of mass murders in rebel held areas of eastern Zaire. The Development and Co operation Minister Mr Reginald Moreels, said he had received reports of what he described as a new genocide under way in eastern Zaire, where mass graves had been found.
Amnesty International and the US have also expressed concern about human rights abuses by the rebels, who are particularly hostile to Rwandan Hutu exiles in Zaire. In the early stages of the war, there were reports of rebels separating young Hutu men from their families and loading them on trucks, never to be seen again.
In South Africa, the rebel "leader Mr Laurent Kabila held a second day of talks with senior US, South African and UN officials near Pretoria.
Secrecy continued to cloak the negotiations, which are aimed at establishing a framework for direct talks between the alliance and President Mobutu's regime.
Although the talks are on South African soil, the US is playing the leading role in trying to bring the together. The US Undersecretary of State for African Affairs, Mr George Moose, held discussions with Mr Kabila, who also met South Africa's Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Aziz Pahad, and the UN special envoy to the Great Lakes region, Mr Mahomed Sahnoun.
Several separate peace initiatives are being promoted by African leaders, the UN and the Organisation of African Unity. Zaire is top of the agenda of a meeting of OAU foreign ministers which opened in Libya yesterday. The OAU Secretary General, Mr Salim Ahmed Salim, has called for the swift negotiation of a ceasefire. President Daniel arap Moi of Kenya has called a summit for next month but has not invited the rebels.
For the moment, the prospects for a ceasefire remain distant. Earlier this week, despite the Zairean army's claimed success, Mr Christian Tavernier, the leader of the foreign mercenaries fighting, alongside government forces, admitted that the rebels have the upper hand.