United Nations Radio

As new battles erupted overnight between rebels and government forces near the provincial capital Goma in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country says its forces are overstretched.

. Alan Doss told UN Radio that the 17,000 troops of the mission, known as MONUC, are needed not only in the North Kivu province, where the latest hostilities have erupted, but also in the South Kivu and Ituri districts. He regrets that the European Union was unable to provide the mission with reinforcements.

"We would have welcomed additional support at this time. We will, of course, continue our discussion with the Security Council itself, which now is reviewing my own request to the Council several weeks ago for reinforcements. And then I hope we will see an early decision on that request."

UN Security Council members met in a closed meeting on Tuesday to discuss the request made by the Secretary-General to send more troops to the DRC. The head of Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy told reporters many Security Council members supported the request, but he noted that it would take at least two months for more troops to arrive on the ground even if the Council agrees to it.

Reporting for UN Radio, I'm Bissera Kostova.

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