The state of emergency declared in the Central African Republic.

The presidency proclaimed, Thursday, January 21, this exceptional regime "throughout the national territory for a period of 15 days from January 21, 2021 at midnight" (23 h GMT), the spokesman said on the radio. Albert Yaloké Mokpeme.

"This state of emergency should allow the government and the national army to broaden their field of action, whether in the capital Bangui or in the country", explains Clément di Roma, correspondent for France 24 in the Central African Republic.

"The country remains mostly controlled by armed groups and torn apart by a new rebellion since December 8."

Tense situation in Bangui

According to our correspondent, "the state of emergency is justified above all by a situation which remains very tense in Bangui after a coordinated attack by armed groups on January 13".

And he continues: "In recent days, operations have continued to dislodge the rebels and prepare the defenses against a second attack."

Clément di Roma also recalls that President Faustin-Archange Touadéra said on Tuesday January 20 in an interview given to France 24 "that no citizen should be left behind, and he said to reach out to all patriots for reconciliation. He therefore leaves room for dialogue and says he wants a peaceful atmosphere. "

>> To see, The Interview of France 24 of Faustin-Archange Touadéra: "The rebel groups are practically terrorists"

Earlier Thursday, the UN envoy to the Central African Republic, Mankeur Ndiaye, called on the Security Council for a "substantial increase" in the number of peacekeepers deployed in the country, after the recent deadly attacks by the main armed groups, which occupy two-thirds of the territory.

A week before the 1st round, on December 27, presidential and legislative elections, six of the most powerful armed groups allied to form the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) and launched an offensive against President Touadéra, who was running for a second term.

Since swearing to "march on Bangui", the rebels have carried out sporadic but sometimes violent attacks, generally far from the capital.

The rebels have so far come up against forces far superior in number and heavily equipped: some 12,000 peacekeepers from the peacekeeping force of the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (Minusca), present since 2014, but also hundreds of Rwandan soldiers and Russian paramilitaries dispatched at the end of December by their countries to the rescue of Faustin-Archange Touadéra and a destitute army.

Request for reinforcements and air assets

According to a source familiar with the matter, Minusca would like the reinforcement of 3,000 peacekeepers with significant air resources: drones, attack helicopters, crossing capacities or even special forces.

Mankeur Ndiaye also demanded an "extension of a few months" of the reinforcement intervened in December of some 300 Rwandan soldiers seconded from the peace mission in South Sudan.

Originally, this reinforcement, rather rare at the UN, was scheduled for two months.

The envoy warned the Council that "the threat could last", while the Minusca has already lost seven peacekeepers since the start of the rebel offensive.

The Central African security forces estimated at around 2,600 soldiers are too recent and too little seasoned, and suffer from too weak a chain of command and a lack of sanctions, the emissary also noted.

With AFP

The summary of the week

France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 application

google-play-badge_FR