Laurent Kabila, DR Congo's leader died on Wednesday
The United States has condemned the killing of the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo. A US State Department spokesman urged all combatants in the central African nation's civil war to redouble peace efforts. This evening, for the first time, the Congolese government officially acknowledged that Laurent Kabila had been killed, ending confusion over his fate. Mr Kabila had been flown to the Zimbabwean capital Harare for treatment after being shot by one of his own soldiers in the Congolese capital Kinshasa last Tuesday.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Charge d'Affaires in Britain said that Mr Kabila died in Zimbabwe and that his son, Joseph, had taken over the Government. He said: "I can confirm the statement from my Government that President Kabila has died yesterday at 5pm." Confusion had surrounded Mr Kabila's fate since a shooting incident near the presidential palace on Tuesday night. Rebels, backed by neighbouring countries, have been waging a civil war against Mr Kabila since 1998.
