Congo:Residents Fleeing Brazzaville Amid Flying Bullets

Thousands of people in the Congolese capital of Brazzaville are said to be fleeing the latest violence which has broken out linked to last month’s reelection of President Denis Sassou Nguesso.

Former members of the “Ninja” militia have been blamed for attacks on government buildings – the group fought the president in the 1997 civil war.

One man who was leaving with his family said, “ There was shooting, heavy weapons. In any case, we couldnt sleep. It all started at 3am and we couldnt sleep.”

Witnesses said young opposition supporters chanted "Sassou, leave!", erected barricades near the main roundabout in southern Brazzaville's Makelekele neighbourhood and set fire to the local mayor's office and police headquarters.

The gunfire broke out in the opposition strongholds of Makelekele and Bacongo at 3am local time on Monday and lasted until 6am. It resumed around 8am and intensified in late morning as military helicopters patrolled southern Brazzaville, witnesses said. Heavy weapons fire could be heard.

Hundreds of residents of southern Brazzaville, some carrying their possessions on their heads, fled their neighbourhoods on foot towards the north of the city.

Government officials could not be reached for comment, but state television said people who rejected the president's victory in the March 20 election were responsible.

"The people woke up this morning in fear because there was gunfire. The reason for that is that there are people who contest these elections," said a presenter on Tele Congo.

The channel said the government was expected to make a statement on the violence.

Sassou Nguesso won re-election on March 20 after pushing through constitutional changes in an October referendum to remove age and term limits that would have prevented him from standing again.

At least 18 people were killed by security forces during opposition demonstrations before the referendum.

Opposition candidates say the election was a fraud and have called for a campaign of civil disobedience. A general strike last week was largely observed in southern Brazzaville but ignored in the north of the city, where Sassou Nguesso is popular.

The US State Department said after the election it had received numerous reports of irregularities and criticised the government's decision to cut all telecommunications including internet services during voting and for days afterwards.

On Monday the US embassy said on its Facebook page there was heavy gunfire and it would provide only limited operations.

Reuters