Heavy Exchange Of Gunfire Between Police And Gunmen in Congo's Capital Brazzaville – Witnesses

Police in the Republic of Congo's capital exchanged heavy gunfire with unidentified gunmen Monday in the first major outbreak of violence since the re-election of President Denis Sassou Nguesso last month.

The shooting happened in Brazzaville's Bacongo and Makeleke neighborhoods.  There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Nguesso first served as president between 1979 and 1992, and after losing an election returned to power in 1997.  He won disputed elections in 2002 and 2009 before getting voter approval to remove constitutional blocks that would have barred him from the March 20 vote because of age and term limits.

An army general who finished third in the voting alleged fraud and called for a campaign of "civil disobedience" after the results were announced.

(VOA)