By Mark Dummett BBC, Kinshasa

Clashes have broken out in the town of Kindu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, hours after Rwandan soldiers withdrew under the terms of a peace deal.

Tribal warriors known as the Mayi Mayi fought running battles in the town centre with Congolese rebel soldiers.

Earlier in the day they had entered the town, some 500 km from the border with Rwanda, to open negotiations with the rebel authorities.

Since Tuesday their Rwandan allies have been pulling troops out of Kindu, the first stage, it says, in a full withdrawal from Congo.

Vacuum

The market town of Kindu has had a precarious existence for the past four years of war.

Several thousand Rwandan and Congolese rebel troops have been based there, while in the surrounding forests, hostile Mayi Mayi warriors who are pro the Kinshasa government, have been getting stronger and stronger.

They have regularly launched attacks, but each time so far have been fought off.

Now their main enemy has left.

Under the terms of a peace deal with Kinshasa, the Rwandan army has started its retreat from Congo and on Thursday its last troops left Kindu.

Retreat?

According to eyewitnesses there, a group of Mayi Mayi warriors then entered the town to open negotiations with the controlling rebel authorities, but at some point gun-fire broke out.

Mayi Mayi fighters back President Kabila

Journalists with the Reuters news agency saw bare-chested Mayi Mayi fighters wearing tribal charms made from fur and teeth trade heavy machine-gun fire with the rebels.

The journalists heard grenade explosions and saw a Mayi Mayi militiaman shot in the back.

Two rebel soldiers are also believed to have been killed.

Kindu is now reported to be calm, but it is not clear how the fighting leaves the planned retreat of the Rwandan army from Congo, which is supposed to be completed by the end of next week.