Brazzaville: These Ninjas Run and Hide

Besides ousted President Pascal Lissouba, the other major political loser in Congo's civil war appears to be Prime Minister Bernard Kolelas, who has fled to neighboring Kinshasa. I visited Mr. Kolelas' home in October 1997 as well as the compound of his “Ninja" militias in Brazzaville's Bacongo district.

The sign over the entryway says "Infirmary".

But this faded stucco building in the compound of ousted Congolese Prime Minister Bernard Kolelas and his Ninja militia is packed with unused arms and ammunition, including anti-tank missiles and recoilless rifle shells. Not a single bandage or bottle of medicine can be seen.

Another nearby building in the compound holds crates of mortar shells, hand grenades and bullets. A mobile multiple rocket launcher stands undamaged just outside this arsenal, two discarded rifles lying in the mud by its wheels. There are no scorch marks or other signs to indicate it was ever fired.

Commanders of the Cobra militia who now control Brazzaville say Mr. Kolelas' forces simply abandoned the weaponry and fled when they first came under attack late in Congo's five-month civil war.

Mr. Kolelas and the Ninjas stayed neutral for most of the war, but threw in with ousted President Pascal Lissouba in September (1997).

The Cobras, loyal to General Denis Sassou-Nguesso, the country's apparent new leader, say there was little serious fighting with the Ninjas, though the stench of death still lingers in the Kolelas compound -- evidence people died there.

Mr. Kolelas, formerly Mayor of Brazzaville, is now in exile in Kinshasa, across the Congo river. Aides say his Ninja militia forces are still largely intact, but concede they have withdrawn from the Congolese capital. The aides say they are waiting for guidance on whether to begin launching guerrilla-style attacks on the rival Cobras and their Angolan military allies, some of whom remain in Brazzaville.

Mr. Kolelas' aides claim their fighters pulled out of Brazzaville because of what they call the psychological shock of the original Angolan-backed attacks on their positions in the capital.

They say the Ninjas were not trained soldiers: what could you expect, they ask?

Cobra commanders indicate they are not seriously concerned by the threat of possible attack by the Ninjas. They point to the Ninjas' initial hasty retreat under fire, as well as to the arms the Ninjas left behind -- arms that might well be used against them in renewed fighting.