The people of Bouar, situated 452 kilometres to the northwest of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, have called for a re-run of the December 27, 2020 legislative and presidential elections in the town.
The town was captured by rebels of the Return, Reclamation and Rehabilitation (3R) rebel movement on election day.
“The population here in Bouar remains in shock and it is the general inclination here that most of the rebel attacks on Bouar some days before the legislative and presidential elections were orchestrated by the authorities in Bangui,” a civil society activist in Bouar who preferred not to be named in the press told HumAngle on phone Tuesday evening.
“They are consequently asking for the departure of the rebels from their town and demanding the organization of new legislative and presidential elections.”
According to peope in Bouar, the town situated in the northwest of the Central African Republic is the first military region of the country with over one thousand soldiers installed there.
“The town cannot be captured by the rebels without a fight but to the greatest surprise of everybody here, the soldiers of the Central African Army and the Russians withdrew from the town without any resistance leaving it free for the rebels to occupy,” a local said.
“The Blue Helmets of MINUSCA who were present in the town did nothing to stop the rebels from occupying it.”
After the capture of Bouar by the 3R rebels, there was a general disarray and looting.
Several offices of non-governmental organisations (ONG) and commercial places were sacked by unidentified individuals.
“Even the base of the non-governmental organization SOS, situated just a few metres to the MINUSCA military base was looted. How do you explain that MINUSCA forces did not stop the looting?,”our source asked.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the looting was gigantic and two of its security guards were wounded by gunfire.
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