French troops arrive in Congo ahead of UN force

FRENCH troops arrived in Congo yesterday to prepare the way for an international force charged with stabilising a region wracked by tribal fighting, a UN official said yesterday.

The international force will reinforce 750 beleaguered UN troops from Uruguay whose mandate is to protect UN installations and personnel but not the local civilian population. UN troops are only authorised

to shoot in self defence. The international force, code-named Artemis, is deploying troops under both UN and European Union mandates and will be authorised during its three-month mission to shoot to kill if necessary.