A surprise offensive by armed groups in the west of the Central African Republic forced the United Nations to deploy peacekeepers on Friday (November 18th), denouncing "a deliberate attempt to disrupt the presidential and legislative elections" on December 27th.

The United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (Minusca) "on Friday deployed forces to Bossemptélé and Bossembélé, two localities in the Ombella-M'Poko prefecture targeted by attacks (carried out) by armed elements of the 3R, the MPC and anti-Balaka, "said spokesman Vladimir Monteiro in a statement.

These three of the most important armed groups which occupy two thirds of the Central African Republic have threatened to attack the power of President Faustin Archange Touadéra if the latter organizes fraud, as they accuse him, to obtain a second term.

"Response to violence"

According to humanitarian and UN sources, armed groups have seized several localities located on the axes serving the capital Bangui, now threatened by a blockade from a distance.

"The reinforcement of the resources of Minusca, including with air means, is a response to the violence committed by these armed groups and which also affected Yaloké and Bozoum", just over 200 kilometers from Bangui, killing two among them. government forces.

In New York, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday condemned "the escalation of violence and calls on all actors to urgently cease all hostility," said his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.

Antonio Guterres called on the parties to resolve "any dispute in a peaceful manner", in the interest of the Central African people, who he said "suffered for too long from conflict and instability".

High tensions

Tensions are very high in the Central African Republic, where President Touadéra's regime on Wednesday accused former President François Bozizé, excluded from the ballot by the constitutional court, of preparing a "plan to destabilize the country" while the opposition fears fraud massive elections.

The Central African Republic was ravaged by civil war after a coalition of predominantly Muslim armed groups, the Séléka, overthrew General Bozizé's regime in 2013. Clashes between Séléka and Christian militias and "anti-balaka" animists had caused thousands of deaths. 

Since 2018, the war has evolved into a low-intensity conflict, where armed groups compete for control of the country's resources, mainly livestock and minerals, while regularly perpetrating abuses against civilians.

Putschist repeat offender

Since his return from exile in December 2019, François Bozizé crystallized the concerns of the presidential majority, which accused this recidivist putschist of fomenting a new coup.

François Bozizé is suspected of having organized a bloody counterinsurgency since his exile, but he has remained relatively popular despite UN sanctions, which accuse him of supporting guilty anti-balaka militias, according to the UN , war crimes and crimes against humanity in 2013 and 2014. 

On Thursday, the Patriotic Movement for the Central African Republic (MPC), the 3R (Return, Claim, Rehabilitation) and two anti-balaka groups issued a statement in which they pledged to "restore security throughout the national territory by all means ", including" means of coercion, in the event that the executive power persists in manipulating the organization of the ballot to carry out an electoral hold-up ". 

"The alliance of several armed groups born in 2019 to challenge the authority of the Bangui regime has been in action for several days with support at the highest level of the State, in Chad and Congo Brazzaville" affirms Nathalie Dukhan, researcher for the NGO The Sentry and specialist in armed groups in the Central African Republic.

"The ultimate goal is to prevent Touadéra's re-election plan in the first round," she said. 

11,500 peacekeepers

On Wednesday, the spokesperson for Minusca, responsible for securing the elections with its 11,500 peacekeepers, called on François Bozizé "to work sincerely for a real return of peace (...) rather than forging alliances with leaders of armed groups to destabilize the country ".

"La Minusca notes that, following the invalidation of the candidacy of former President Bozizé, and after his recent meetings with the three aforementioned armed groups, security incidents have multiplied and intensified", added the spokesperson in Friday's press release.

François Bozizé had however reaffirmed his attachment to the electoral process by declaring on Wednesday his support for Anicet Georges Dologuélé's candidacy to beat President Touadéra.

With AFP

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