Rebel Attacks on Ndélé and Bria, Central African Republic

[All links forward to french articles unless otherwise stated]

These last few weeks, with attacks on the the cities of Ndélé and Bria, rebels have been threatening the regime of Central African Republic President François Bozizé. This fresh wave of attacks, which has caused significant civilian displacement, has effectively annulled the peace agreements signed in 2007.

Ndélé attacked by the rebellion

On 10 December, 2012 the city of Ndélé was seized by an attack  carried out by the Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (UFDR) :

Une faction rebelle de l'UFDR, dirigée par Michel Djotodia, a pris d'assaut la ville de Ndélé, qui compte 15. 000 à 20. 000 habitants, ainsi que celles de Sam Ouandja et d'Ouadda, situées dans le nord-est du pays (à 200 km de Ndélé), une région où l'armée n'est pas ou peu présente.

Ndélé, carrefour du Nord près de la frontière tchadienne et par où passent de nombreux convois entre le Soudan et le Cameroun, avait été le théâtre d'affrontements violents entre différentes rébellions et l'armée entre 2007 et 2010

A UDFU rebel faction, led by Michel Djotodia, seized the city of Ndélé (which has between 15,000 to 20,000 residents), as well the cities of Sam Ouandja et d'Ouadda in the country's north-east (200km from Ndélé) – a region where the army is practically non existent.

Ndélé, a northern junction near the Chadian border passed through by convoys travelling between Sudan and Cameroon, saw violent clashes between different rebel groups and the army throughout 2007 and 2010.

 

The Research Network on Peace Operations (ROP) has reported that the army succeeded in retaking control of the city:

Les forces gouvernementales « ainsi que les forces amies ont promptement réagi pour reprendre dans les délais raisonnables le contrôle de la situation et rétablir l'ordre et la quiétude des citoyens », a indiqué le porte-parole du ministère, le lieutenant-colonel Jean Ladawa.

Government forces “as well as friendly forces promptly reacted to re-assume control of the situation within reasonable time and to re-establish order and calm among the citizens”, stated the minister's spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Jean Ladawad.

 

Red Cross documentary about the security problems in the Central African Republic:

The Red Cross highlights the risks facing the civilian population. As ICRC representative Georgios Georgantas explains:

“Some people have left their homes entirely, others have stayed but spend only a few hours there each day, as they are afraid of further violence.

 

The city of Bria under the control of the Séléka coalition

François Bozize, President  Central African Republic

François Bozize, President of the Central African Republic wikipédia- public domain

But the threat is becoming more defined for President Boizizé. On 18 Decembre, rebels from the “Séléka”  coalition took control of the city of Bria. As RFI [Radio France Internationale, fr] reports:

Selon différentes sources, les rebelles ont attaqué Bria à l'arme lourde. Les Forces armées centrafricaines (FACA) ont ouvert le feu sur les combattants qui essayaient d'entrer dans la ville, puis ont abandonné la base de Bria [..] Des sources militaires disent que les rebelles se sont livrés à des pillages de magasins à Bria, et qu'ils ont été suivis de certains habitants qui tentent de profiter des pillages. Les différents combats qui ont eu lieu ont fait au moins 14 morts et des disparus côté gouvernemental.

According to different sources, the rebels attacked Bria using heavy weapons. The Central African Armed Forces opened fire on the combatants as they were trying to enter the city, then they abandoned the Bria base [..] Military sources are saying that the rebels looted several stores in Bria, and that these rebels were followed by certain local residents who sought to gain from the looting. The various clashes that took place left 14 dead and several more missing on the government side.

Afriquinfos adds:

La coalition Séléka a été créée en août par une aile dissidente de la Convention des patriotes pour la justice et la paix (CPJP), auteur de plusieurs attaques au nord de Bangui depuis septembre, et la Convention patriotique pour le salut wa kodro (CPSK) du “général” Dhaffane Mohamed Moussa.

The Séléka coalition was created in August by a dissident wing of the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace, the instigator of several attacks north of Bangui since September, and the Patriotic Convention for the salvation wa Kodro of “general” Dhaffane Mohamed Moussa.

 

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