MINUSCA Says Situation Under Control In CAR

After three days of disquiet following attacks on various fronts by armed combatants suspected to be loyal to former Central African Republic president Francois Bozize, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) says the situation is now under control.

The UN spokesperson in Bangui, Vladimir Monteiro, had earlier denounced “a deliberate attempt to perturb elections” by forces supporting  Bozize and on Friday, MINUSCA forces were deployed to Bossemptele and Bossembele in the Ombella-M’Poko prefecture which were the targets of attacks by fighters of the 3R, MPC and anti-Balaka combatants.

The three groups had earlier announced they had fused into a coalition and called for the postponement of the December 27 presidential election until peace and security were re-established in the country.

President Faustin Archange Touadera and his government have accused the party of former head of state Bozize, the Kwa na Kwa, of “a coup attempt”, an accusation the party’s spokesperson described as “baseless”.

Meanwhile, Bishop Mathieu Bondobo, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Bangui and Cure of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Bangui, says the population of the national capital have since last week been “living in fear” after the occupation of certain towns by “armed groups which have demonstrated a determination to march on Bangui and take power by force”.

This offensive, according to the bishop, “envisages to paralyse the ongoing electoral process, ” adding that there is the wish to “put the economy of the country in danger” by the attacking forces.

Monsignor Mathieu Bondobo has called for peace and recalled that “the country has suffered a lot,” adding that his is a message of hope and consolation to the families that have been affected by the fighting.

The prelate called on Central Africans to have faith and be “men and women of prayers and to cultivate unity” in order to make the Central African Republic “a country of peace and living together”.

The MINUSCA spokesperson announced that the armed groups that were occupying the town of Yaloke, about 220km from Bangui, had left the town and continued to be chased out of the other towns they had occupied last week.