Zaire wards over evacuations

(First Edition)

KINSHASA (Reuter) - Zaire warned it would prevent a Belgian military landing to evacuate foreigners from its riot-shattered capital, Kinshasa.

But French paratroopers allowed into the country began escorting foreigners fleeing the city where at least 65 people, including France's ambassador, have died in army-led violence.

France evacuated 160 expatriates from the pillaged capital yesterday, ferrying them across the river Congo to Brazzaville, the Foreign Ministry said in Paris. There are 1,000 French nationals in Zaire. About 300 remain at the embassy, the ministry said.