Spanningen in de Centraal Afrikaanse Republiek

Gestart door Lex, 23/03/2013 | 21:09 uur

jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)

Six South African soldiers dead in Central African Republic: witness

BANGUI | Sun Mar 24, 2013

(Reuters) - At least six South African soldiers were killed in Central African Republic in clashes with rebels who seized the capital Bangui on Sunday and overthrew President Francois Bozize, a Reuters witness said.

"I saw the bodies of six South African soldiers. They had all been shot. Their vehicles were also destroyed. Other South African soldiers came to recover the bodies," a Reuters witness said.

(Reporting by Paul-Marin Ngoupana; Writing by Joe Bavier; Editing by Daniel Flynn)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/24/us-centralafrica-rebels-soldiers-idUSBRE92N06S20130324

Ace1

C. AFRICAN REPUBLIC PRESIDENT FLEES REBEL ATTACK

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — Central African Republic's President Francois Bozize fled the capital early Sunday, hours after hundreds of armed rebels threatening to overthrow him invaded the city, an adviser said.

The rebel alliance, known as Seleka, reached the outskirts of Bangui late Saturday. Heavy gunfire echoed through the city early Sunday as the fighters made their way into the heart of downtown and seized the presidential palace, though the country's leader of a decade was not there at the time.

"Bozize left the city this morning," said Maximin Olouamat, a member of Bozize's presidential majority. The adviser declined to say where the president had gone.

Rebels from several armed groups that have long opposed Bozize joined forces in December and began seizing towns across the country's sparsely populated north. They threatened at the time to march on Bangui, but ultimately halted their advance and agreed to go to peace negotiations in Libreville, the capital of Gabon.

A peace deal was signed Jan. 11 that allowed Bozize to finish his term that expires in 2016, but the rebels soon began accusing the president of failing to fulfill the promises that were made.

They demanded that Bozize send home South African forces who were helping bolster the country's military. And they sought to integrate some 2,000 rebel fighters into Central African Republic's armed forces.

The deal unraveled more than a week ago, with the rebels again taking control of two towns and threatening to advance on the capital.

Late Saturday, Bangui was plunged into darkness after fighters cut power to much of the city. State radio went dead, and fearful residents cowered in their homes.

"For us, there is no other solution than the departure of Francois Bozize," Eric Massi, a rebel spokesman, said from Paris by telephone late Saturday.

Massi said the rebels were securing the city, and he called on residents to remain calm and avoid looting amid the chaos.

The growing unrest is the latest threat to the stability of Central African Republic, a nation of 4.5 million that has long been wracked by rebellions and power grabs.

The president himself took power in 2003 following a rebellion, and his tenure has been marked by conflict with myriad armed groups.



FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2013 file photo, government security forces in a pickup truck drive past a demonstration calling for peace as negotiators prepare for talks with rebels from the north, in downtown Bangui, Central African Republic Saturday. On Friday, March 22, rebels took the town of Damara, beginning a new march to take the capital, Bangui, said a rebel spokesman. Panic spread throughout the capital, with the neighborhoods closest to the northern gate of the city emptying out, as frightened residents locked up their shops, packed their bags and yanked their children out of school. Banks and government offices closed early.(AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)


FILE - In this Jan. 2, 2013 file photo, a convoy of Chadian soldiers fighting in support of Central African Republic president Francois Bozize moves along the road in Damara, about 70km (44 miles) north of the capital Bangui, Central African Republic Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. On Friday, March 22, rebels took the town of Damara, beginning a new march to take the capital, Bangui, said a rebel spokesman. Panic spread throughout the capital, with the neighborhoods closest to the northern gate of the city emptying out, as frightened residents locked up their shops, packed their bags and yanked their children out of school. Banks and government offices closed early.(AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)


FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2013 photo, Francois Bozize, president of the Central African Republic, speaks to the media in front of a map of the country in the colors of its flag, at the presidential palace in Bangui, Central African Republic. On Friday, March 22, rebels took the town of Damara, beginning a new march to take the capital, Bangui, said a rebel spokesman. In power since 2003, Bozize is himself the result of a rebel occupation. After years as a high-ranking military officer, Bozize launched a rebellion in 2001, taking Bangui two years later, when the then-president was out of the country.(AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/heavy-fighting-c-african-republic-capital

jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)

Central African Republic capital falls to rebels, Bozize flees

BANGUI | Sun Mar 24, 2013

(Reuters) - Rebels in Central African Republic seized control of the country's riverside capital on Sunday, forcing embattled President Francois Bozize to flee into neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, government officials said.

"The rebels control the town," said presidency spokesman Gaston Mackouzangba. "I hope there will not be any reprisals."

Government spokesman Crepin Mboli-Goumba said the Seleka rebels controlled all the strategic locations in the city.

A presidential advisor, who asked not to be named, said Bozize had crossed the Oubangi river into Congo on Sunday morning.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/24/us-centralafrica-rebels-idUSBRE92M0AU20130324

Lex

Uit diverse Franse media sites is naar voren gekomen dat Frankrijk in de CAR 250 militairen heeft gestationeerd op permanente basis; dit o.a. ter bescherming van de ongeveer 1250 Fransen die werkzaam zijn in het land.
De berichten dat Frankrijk troepen stuurt, zoals Reuters bericht, zijn niet bevestigd.

jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)

Rebellen vallen Bangui binnen

Toegevoegd: zaterdag 23 mrt 2013

In de Centraal-Afrikaanse Republiek zijn opstandelingen de hoofdstad Bangui binnengevallen. In de stad zijn volgens getuigen hevige gevechten tussen de rebellengroep Séléka en het regeringsleger. De rebellen eisen dat president Bozize opstapt.

Eerder deze week begonnen de opstandelingen een offensief in andere delen van het land. Ze beschuldigen Bozize ervan dat hij een in januari gesloten vredesakkoord niet respecteert. Zo zou hij de afspraak niet nakomen om politieke gevangenen vrij te laten.

De onrust in het land heeft Frankrijk ertoe gebracht om een spoedvergadering van de VN-Veiligheidsraad bijeen te roepen. Diplomatieke bronnen hebben tegen persbureau Reuters gezegd dat voormalig kolonisator Frankrijk troepen naar Bangui stuurt om het vliegveld te beschermen.

De Centraal-Afrikaanse Republiek kent sinds de onafhankelijkheid in 1960 een lange geschiedenis van dictatuur, rebellie en geweld. De huidige president Bozize kwam in 2003 aan de macht na een staatsgreep.

Bron: NOS

Lex

#1
France sending troops to Central African Republic

France is sending troops to the Central African Republic to secure the airport in the country's capital Bangui, Reuters has quoted a diplomatic source as saying, following reports that rebel fighters have entered the city.

France 24,
23 march 2013