January 7, 2000
Web posted at: 11:24 AM EST (1624 GMT)

KAMPALA, Uganda (Reuters) -- Three Congolese rebel factions began a second round of talks in Uganda Friday in an effort to unify their efforts in a 17-month-old civil war, Ugandan military sources said.

The talks, in the southwestern town of Kabale, are a continuation of discussions held last month when the rebels agreed to greater cooperation.

"They are trying to iron out how they will coordinate their activities diplomatically and militarily -- important now since Kabila is on the offensive," a senior security official told Reuters.

He said he expected the meeting to continue into next week.

The talks have brought together the two rival Congolese Rally for Democracy factions -- one led by Emile Ilunga and backed by Rwanda and the other led by Ernest Wamba dia Wamba and supported by Uganda.

Jean-Pierre Bemba, leader of another Ugandan-backed group, the Congolese Liberation Movement was also attending the meeting.

The three rebel groups and their backers signed up to a cease-fire in August in the Zambian capital Lusaka. The deal was also signed by Congolese President Laurent Kabila and his allies Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia.

Both sides have accused the other of violating the accord.