Skip to main content

Deadly clashes in CAR as France ends military mission


France has formally announced an end to its military mission in the Central African Republic amid flared tensions in the country affected by ethnic violence.
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced the end of the "Sangaris Operation" in a speech to the parliament in Bangui on Monday.
Le Drian noted, however, that Paris will still retain its military sway over its former colony. 
"This does not mean the end of military relations between France and the Central African Republic," he said.
"The French army will indeed be less visible but it will be present, active and vigilant. We're proud of Operation Sangaris, so it's out of the question to allow the gains to be put at risk," Le Drian said.
He said the French government will keep a "tactical reserve force of 350 soldiers" in the country.
Many residents have voiced concern to see the French troops exit.
Earlier this month Le Drian told the French parliament that the Sangaris mission had been "a success."
"We stopped the mass killings... allowed a process of inter-communal reconciliation, the reconstitution of the state, a presidential election, and legislative elections," he said.
Prominent CAR politician and former presidential candidate Anicet Georges Dologuele challenged Le Drian's comments, stating that "Sangaris is pulling out far too early."
"Our security forces are not ready to take up the baton," Dologuele said.
"The UN forces are more and more overwhelmed in their firefighting role," warned Dologuele.
"It's always too early," Le Drian quipped, adding,"These responsibilities are above all your own."
Meanwhile, CAR's capital was rocked by deadly overnight clashes, leaving 10 people dead in the restive Muslim PK5 neighborhood of Bangui.
The toll had yet to be confirmed by the United Nations force MINUSCA, which will now be alone in facing the militias terrorizing civilians.
CAR residents are continuously fleeing the country caught in ethnic conflict between Seleka rebels and anti-Balaka militia groups.
CAR has not yet emerged from the disorder caused by civil war which erupted in 2013 following the overthrow of Francois Bozize, a Christian, by Muslim rebels from the Seleka coalition who installed their own leader.
The conflict in CAR since 2013 has left thousands of people dead and forced many to flee their homes.
Rights groups have in a few occasions reported that Muslims in the war-torn country “are being butchered” at the hands of the Christians.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

General Qasem Soleymani's letter to the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate Obama has sent a rude and threatening Letter to Imam Khamenei (d.z) , Iran's Supreme Leader. Few days later Imam Khamenei (d.z) proclaimed that he replied to Obama's threatening letter. People were eager to know about the answer but no one was aware of the letter's content. Cmdr. Qasem Soleimani sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America, a letter that may help us to find out about the content of the Supreme Leader's letter. The so-called letter made Americans furiously angry so that the United State Congress issued Cmdr's assassination. To find out how important was this action, it would be interesting to describe the procedure through which the letter was received by The Secretary of Defense United States Department Of War includes seven protective filters four of which are specifically designed to monitor data sent to secretary of defense. . Sending a letter ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Iran, Turkey, Qatar mull land route amid Saudi crisis

Turkey seeks to establish a land route via Iran for trade with Qatar which has relied on both countries for sourcing food since a diplomatic crisis broke out with Saudi Arabia. Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci on Saturday was in Tehran where he was expected to discuss using Iran’s land route to facilitate trade with Qatar, Anadolu quoted him as saying. "We're thinking about alternatives for land trade routes with Qatar but the easiest way is passing through Iran," Zeybekci said, according to the news agency.  He traveled to Tehran to attend the swearing-in of President Hassan Rouhani along with delegates from around the world. It was not immediately clear who was representing Qatar in the ceremony.  Turkey has used a land, air and sea blockade imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt to flood the tiny peninsula in the Persian Gulf with its goods but Zeybekci said using cargo planes to carry products was no...
Post a Comment
Read more

Yemeni tribes joind hands to counter Saudi aggression

Yemeni tribes in different provinces have joined forces to counter the deadly Saudi aggression against their country, vowing revenge for the blood of the innocent. In the northwestern province of Hajjah, the tribes of the Sharafein district expressed their readiness to deploy forces to the battleground in response to a call issued by the tribes of Khulan and Sanhan, Yemen’s al-Masirah television reported on Saturday. Bani Sara tribe in al-Shaqadreh also said that it was prepared to team up with Khulan al-Tayal tribe to score a victory against the Riyadh regime and take revenge for the recent Saudi carnage in the capital, Sana’a, which was denounced by rights groups as a war crime. Sana’a saw one of the deadliest Saudi attacks on October 8, when the regime’s warplanes bombarded a funeral hall packed with mourners in the capital city, killing more than 140 people and injuring at least 525 others. The tribe of Sanhan in Sana’a put 300 troops equipped with arms on ale...
Post a Comment
Read more