UN chief reports significant results against rebels in Congo

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. peacekeeping chief says a joint military operation by U.N. and Congolese forces to rout rebels from their strongholds in the Ebola-hit northeast Congo has "achieved quite significant results" and is still under way.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix also clarified at a news conference Friday that seven U.N. peacekeepers — six from Malawi and one from Tanzania — died in attacks and exchanges of fire Wednesday with Allied Democratic Forces rebels along with 12 Congolese soldiers.

The Security Council had said late Thursday that eight peacekeepers were killed.

Lacroix said U.N. and Congolese forces captured an ADF base that was used to attack the regional capital Beni, which is the largest city affected by the Ebola outbreak.

The U.N. envoy for Congo, Leila Zerrougui, said six ADF combatants were arrested.