Central African Republic: tension rises a few days before the elections, the UN on "maximum alert"

Minusca peacekeepers patrolling the streets of Bangui, in the Central African region, on February 12, 2016. AP - Jerome Delay

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3 min

The security situation deteriorated sharply on Friday, December 18 in the Central African Republic, nine days before the presidential and legislative elections.

Several towns in the west of the country have been attacked by members of various armed groups, according to the UN.

La Minusca has deployed significant reinforcements there and said it is on "high alert" in other regions, including the capital, Bangui.

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With our special correspondent in Bangui,

Florence Morice

The United Nations Mission in the Central African

Republic

(

Minusca

) condemns a series of " 

coordinated attacks

 " intended to " 

prevent

 " the holding of the

elections scheduled for December 27

.

According to corroborating sources, several localities in the west of the country were raided on Friday by armed men.

The UN says it has deployed reinforcements in Bossemptele and Bossembele, 150 kilometers north-west of Bangui, and says the towns of Bozoum and Yaloke have also been targeted.

She attributes these attacks to elements of three armed groups: 3R, MPC and anti-balaka.

The #MINUSCA Force Units are on alert and the Mission has deployed air assets in support of national forces and set up checkpoints on various axes.

# A4P pic.twitter.com/nlabSkkzuz

- MINUSCA (@UN_CAR) December 18, 2020

According to the UN, two members of government forces were killed in the Yaloke attack.

Acts which will 

not go unpunished

 according to the United Nations.

Fatou Bensouda, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, ensures that the situation is closely monitored.

Tensions increased after the invalidation of François Bozizé's candidacy and his meetings with armed groups

In the afternoon, security sources also reported unusual movements of armed men elsewhere in the country, on different axes that serve Bangui.

La Minusca says it is on " 

maximum alert

 " and has deployed in various strategic points for the capital.

In her press release, she also notes that " 

security incidents have multiplied and intensified

 " in the Central African Republic " 

following

the invalidation of the candidacy of former President Bozizé

 " for the presidential election and after the

 latter's

recent meetings

" with leaders of armed groups.

On Wednesday, several of these groups, among the most important, threatened in a joint statement to use " 

all means of coercion

 " against the power of Faustin Archange Touadera if he persisted in organizing the ballot.

They accused him of preparing an electoral hold-up.

There was no official reaction from the authorities on Friday evening, but behind the scenes, regional and international diplomats are stepping up initiatives to try to calm the situation.

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  • Central African Republic

  • Faustin-Archange Touadéra

  • Francois Bozizé

  • Minusca

  • UN

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