SubSaharan Africa 407
Participants: 211 Belgium/490 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Outcome (and Settlement): Yield by side A (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 26–100 deaths
Narrative: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) gained legal independence
on June 30, 1960; however, on July 5, Lumumba, the Congolese minister of defense,
announced that several Belgian officers would take positions on his staff. In addition,
Congolese still could not become commissioned military officers. Members of the
Congolese Force Publique heard the news and mutinied on July 6. The mutiny soon
turned against European residents, and on July 7, the Europeans began to flee to the
Congo Republic. On July 10, Belgian soldiers engaged Congolese soldiers in several
places, including Leopoldville. Katanga (in southeast DRC) declared independence
on July 11 with the help of 6,000 Belgian troops while the DRC requested help from
the United Nations and ended diplomatic relations with Belgium. Three days later the
United Nations passed resolution 143, which called on Belgium to withdraw from the
DRC and authorized a UN force.
The first UN troops landed within days, but the Belgians refused to withdraw
until the UN forces could guarantee protection for European residents. On July
22, the UN Security Council passed resolution 145, which called on Belgium to
make a speedy exit. Meanwhile, UN troops continued to pour in, and by July 28
there were 10,000 UN troops in the country. In August the UN secretary-general
continued to pressure the Belgians to withdraw. The Belgians were supposed to be
out by August 30, but hundreds of troops remained at the beginning of September.
Finally, the US Air Force provided planes to remove the last of the Belgian troops
on September 2.
Coding changes: Fatalities changed from Missing.
220 France/437 Ivory Coast
MID#4371
Dispute Number: 4371
Date(s): November 6, 2004 to May 6, 2005
Participants: 516 Burundi/517 Rwanda, 490 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: This dispute began when warplanes from the Cote d’Ivoire bombed
French military units acting as peacekeepers. France responded by destroying two
grounded Ivorian fighter jets and deploying additional aircraft to nearby Gabon.
MID#4382
Dispute Number: 4382
Date(s): October 18, 2005
Participants: 220 France/437 Ivory Coast