Rivals for Power in Republic of Congo Call Cease-Fire in Weeklong Fighting

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo — The two men battling for control of this Central African country ordered their forces to lay down their weapons Wednesday, and despite occasional gunfire in the capital, the cease-fire appeared to be taking hold.

Earlier orders from the two leaders had done little to calm the violence in Brazzaville. Mortars, grenades and machine-gun fire pounded the capital into the evening, raising questions over whether President Pascal Lissouba and Gen. Denis Sassou-Nguesso could control their fighters.

But late Wednesday, Sassou-Nguesso went on the air to “ask that the arms be silenced and hope that other parties at least this time respect their commitments.”

The relative quiet that followed the broadcast encouraged some Western officials, but it was not immediately clear whether the cease-fire would hold.

Brazzaville slipped into chaos last week when Lissouba sent in troops to disarm the private militia of former dictator Sassou-Nguesso. With presidential elections slated for next month, Lissouba apparently feared Sassou-Nguesso would use his forces to foment unrest and hurt the president’s reelection chances.

Another militia leader, Brazzaville Mayor Bernard Kolelas, has been mediating between the warring factions and announced Wednesday that they had agreed to a cease-fire.