Battle Blocks Rebels From Key Zaire City

Rebels and government forces battled Friday at the airport outside Zaire’s third-largest city in what could prove to be the most critical fight yet in that central African country’s 4-1/2-month-old conflict.

The rebels, who have had little trouble taking several key towns and cities on their way to controlling much of eastern Zaire, reportedly ran into heavy resistance from Zairian army forces at the airport at Kisangani, base of the government’s counteroffensive and its last stronghold in the area.

Government forces are believed to have mined the airport with explosives to halt the rebels’ approach. The airport is roughly 10 miles north of Kisangani.