France Plans More Troops For African State

France says it is planning to send 1,000 troops to the Central African Republic amid reports of mass atrocities and possible civil war.

CAR, one of the world's poorest countries, has been in turmoil since rebel groups joined forces in March and overthrew the president.

The rebels have been accused by human rights groups of committing scores of atrocities including killings, rapes and conscription of child soldiers.

"It's in collapse and we cannot have a country fall apart like that," said French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Locals call for peace in a protest in the capital, Bangui

"There is the violence, massacres and humanitarian chaos that follow a collapse," Le Drian told Europe 1 radio. "It will be a short mission to allow calm and stability to return."

The move would increase the French military presence in Africa for the second time this year - France already has some 420 soldiers in the country - mostly to protect the airport in the capital Bangui.

The country has asked France to increase its force and French diplomats have announced plans to circulate a draft Security Council resolution that will call for additional support for the 3,000-strong force led by the African Union now in the country.

French troops inspect a taxi at a checkpoint at Bangui M'Poko airport

France hopes that a resolution will be passed before the start of a summit in Paris next week focusing on security issues in Africa, French diplomats have said.

French ambassador Gerard Araud on Monday said an increased French deployment would be "a bridging force" until an African force is fully operational - when France would take a back-up role.

France, a former colonial powerhouse in West Africa, has a greater military presence in the region than any other Western country, with thousands of troops in places including Senegal, Chad, Ivory Coast and Gabon.

A boy stands on a cliff over the area of a collapsed bridge in Bangui

It has about 2,800 troops in Mali taking part in an operation that began after rebels and al Qaeda-linked militants moved to take over the capital last winter.

Mr Le Drian dismissed any comparisons between the Mali and CAR missions.

"In Mali there was an attack of jihadists, terrorists who wanted to transform Mali into a terrorist state. This is a collapse of a country with a potential for religious clashes," he said. "France has international responsibilities."

In a briefing to the Security Council, UN deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said the situation in CAR was deteriorating so fast that a UN peacekeeping force may soon be the only option.

The country was becoming "a breeding ground for extremists and armed groups" and never-before-seen sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians, he said.

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

France Plans More Troops For African State

Dengan url

http://majutakgentarian.blogspot.com/2013/11/france-plans-more-troops-for-african.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

France Plans More Troops For African State

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

France Plans More Troops For African State

sebagai sumbernya