Violent Clashes Ongoing In Bouar Between Central African Republic Forces and Rebels

Violent clashes between forces of the Central African Republic national army (FACA) supported by Russian and Rwandan allies, and rebels of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) have been going on since Thursday, March 31, nine kilometres from the town of Bouar, the chief town of the Nana-Mambere district.

According to eyewitness accounts, the fighting began Thursday morning at about 3 a.m. and has been on since then. Most of the fighting is in Yomgo village, about nine kilometres from Bouar on the Bocaranga highway, an eyewitness said.

The FACA soldiers with the support of their allies, sources said, have since taken the upper hand over the CPC rebels and are currently in control of Yongo, Doukou, and Bessan.

“Relative calm seems to be returning to the area as of this morning of Thursday, April 1, but the localities are all ghost towns now as most of the inhabitants have fled into the bushes,” a source told HumAngle by phone this morning.

At the beginning of March, CPC rebels have laid an ambush on FACA soldiers and their allies on the Bocaranga highway, killing two Russian mercenaries.

Since the retaking of the town of Bouar from the CPC rebels by FACA and allies, the rebels have been taking refuge in villages on the periphery of Bouar and have been harassing the local populations, extorting money and valuables from the people.