Central African Republic
Central African rebels threaten Bangui

afrol News, 28 October - Rebels have reached the capital of the Central African Republic, Bangui, in an operation that seems to threaten the government of President Ange-Felix Patassé. There are warnings against a violent overthrow of the Bangui government.

The Central African rebels are led by the country's former Chief of Staff, Francois Bozize, and the armed operation that started on Friday seems to have the objective of toppling the Bangui government. General Bozize is said to have several hundred armed men, most of those recruited in neighbouring Chad.

News agencies report of at least 30 persons being killed in the fighting and more than 50,000 people having fled their homes. The number of displacements had soared after General Bozize's rebels entered Bangui yesterday. They are now said to control one third of the city.

Also the whereabouts of President Patassé himself remain unknown. There are reports of fighting around his official residence, and the President has not been seen publicly for days. Loyal troops however claim Mr Patassé is alive and unhurt.

General Bozize, on the other hand, is a well-known trouble-maker in the Central African Republic. After continuous pressure against the civilian government of President Patassé, the army chief was sacked one year ago. Continued threats by the General led to his exile in Chad - where he only seems to have gathered strength to make a violent comeback. 

Meanwhile, the General's attack on the elected Bangui government has provoked international protest and there are preparations to send foreign forces to support the troops loyal to President Patassé. France, which forcefully condemned the rebel attack, is assessing the possibility of sending troops to the country, again. Libya, which already backs the Presidency with some 200 elite soldiers, may also send reinforcements.

A so-called "Inter-African Observation Force", which was agreed to by the leaders of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States (CEMAC) at their summit earlier this month in Gabon, may also be sent to the country earlier than planned. 

Set to be comprised of 300 to 350 troops, this force will draw troops from Gabon, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea and Mali. Its three main tasks are ensuring the safety of the President of the Central African Republic, participating in the restructuring of the country's armed forces, and ensuring security on the border with Chad. The force was meant to replace the Libyan soldiers, guarding President Patassé.

The African Union (AU) on Saturday condemned "the resurgence of violence," which was undermining the ongoing efforts by CEMAC, aimed at building peace in Central African Republic. The Union therefore appealed for "an immediate end to this attack" and stressed "the need for an urgent deployment of CEMAC troops."

Also the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called for "an immediate end to the violence and urged support for an international force planned for the country."

- The Secretary-General reiterates his condemnation of any attempt to take power by force of arms and calls on the insurgents to lay down their weapons, a spokesman for Mr Annan said in a statement, voicing deep concern about the armed confrontation. Mr Annan also called on the international community "to provide urgently the logistical and other assistance" needed to deploy to the CEMAC troops.

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