Citation
BRUSSELS, April 9 (Reuter) - Belgium sent crack paratroopers to Rwanda
on Saturday for the possible evacuation of foreign nationals from its
strife-torn former African colony, Belgian radio said.
Reporters at a military base near Brussels saw two C-130 transport
planes take off early on Saturday and radio stations quoted military
sources as saying they were taking paratroopers to the Rwandan capital
Kigali. French forces are already there.
A spokesman for the armed forces declined comment on the reports but
the Belgian government has said it would take measures necessary to
guarantee the safety of some 1,500 Belgian nationals living in Rwanda,
torn by civil war.
About 800 paratroops had been put on alert but it was unclear how many
had left in the planes.
(c) Reuters Limited 1994
