The security situation remains precarious in CAR after the organization of a coalition of six armed groups and their descent on the main axes of the country towards the capital. In Bangui, the capital, the s ...

Central African Republic: Touadéra remains adamant about the holding of elections

Rwandan peacekeepers from Minusca, in May 2019, in Bangui, Central African Republic.

AFP PHOTO / PATRICK FORT

Text by: RFI Follow

6 min

The security situation remains precarious in CAR after the organization of a coalition of six armed groups and their descent on the main axes of the country towards the capital.

In Bangui, the capital, the situation was calm on Monday, December 21, where movements were however reported.

Publicity

With our correspondent in Bangui,

Charlotte Cosset

In the country, the positions of the armed groups remain relatively stable even if the regroupment movements continue in particular on the side of Baboua, axis of supply of the capital.

In Mbaïki, exchanges of fire took place again this Monday morning.

In Bouca, status quo but witnesses report the flight of populations into the bush.

Even if until now, the armed groups do not attack the populations, warning on their arrival that they are only passing through, the inhabitants of the localities fear new fighting.

Several security sources note desertions, on the side of the national forces as well as on the side of the armed movement 3R.

A branch of the FPRC group has announced that it is dissociating itself from the current armed movement.

However, it is difficult to assess its importance in the coalition.

As the armed groups from the north descend towards the Sibut lock, reinforcements from the Central African armed forces and the Minusca have arrived.

If the day seems to lull, several meetings are to be noted in particular within the 3R group to decide on the strategy to be followed because, for the moment, the pressures put on the capacity are not bearing the expected fruits.

Indeed, authorities and international partners do not bow.

Next Sunday's elections must be held.

► Read also:

The partners of the Central African Republic raise their voices in the face of armed groups and Bozizé

President Touadera inflexible

For President Faustin Archange Touadéra, there is no question of postponing or opening the breach towards a new transition.

He believes that the campaign can continue, despite the security crisis, and remains adamant about the holding of elections on December 27, to stay within the nails of the Constitution.

He said it again during a press briefing on Monday, December 21.

On the 27th [December] we are going to the elections.

Now that we have found constitutional order, we must maintain that order for democracy […] Negotiate?

How? 'Or' What ?

In what form ?

You can see that here we have attacks that we don't have time to negotiate.

We don't know who to negotiate with.

Faustin Archange Touadéra, President of the Central African Republic

Florence morice

Sending Rwandan troops

For his part, Rwandan President Paul Kagame spoke about the sending of Rwandan troops to the Central African Republic.

During a virtual press conference in the afternoon of Monday, December 21, he gave details of the mandate of the troops recently sent to Bangui, as part of a bilateral agreement with the Central African Republic, and not under UN mandate.

The decision was taken on the basis of reports that the Rwandan contingent of Minusca, comprising more than 1,600 soldiers and police, is being targeted by armed groups.

“

The rules of engagement for forces deployed within the framework of the United Nations mission are different from those which apply to deployed forces, in different circumstances or under a different mandate.
In this specific case, we have bilateral cooperation with the Central African Republic.
We felt that within the framework of this bilateral agreement and at the invitation of the government of the Central African Republic, the rules of engagement will be different.
They will allow us to protect our contingent targeted by armed groups.
So the additional forces that we have sent, under this arrangement, must simply allow us to make sure that we can contain any situation that would aim to disrupt the elections as well as any group that would like to target our forces,

”Paul said. Kagame.

► See also:

Central African Republic: situation still precarious in Bangui, one week before the elections

Central African Republic: Touadéra remains adamant about the holding of elections

Central African Republic: Touadéra remains adamant about the holding of elections

President Touadera inflexible

Sending Rwandan troops

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