BANGUI: Around 200 rebel fighters in the Central African Republic who surrendered to African Union troops at the weekend in the key town of Sibut fled overnight, a military source said yesterday.
“Unfortunately they fled in the night. They’ve gone to Kaga Bandoro,” an officer in the African Union force (MISCA) said.
Kaga Bandoro is some 160km north of Sibut, the town which had been held for several days by former members of the mainly Muslim Seleka rebellion — causing terrified residents to flee — before it was recaptured by MISCA troops on Saturday.
It is thought the rebels fled because of fear of revenge attacks by members of the anti-balaka Christian militia. They had initially agreed to be held by peacekeepers.
According to Colonel Abdelkader Djelani, a Seleka officer who was part of the group which fled Sibut, the rebels were concerned about the lack of security around them. “We want solutions and really secure camps. In Bangui, Seleka confined to camps... (were) attacked by anti-balaka.”
He added that the former Seleka rebels were “ready to disarm” depending on the conditions. Some of the residents of the town were cautiously thinking of returning home after news that African Union soldiers were now in control.
One resident, Innocent, said however there were still fears among the general population because the “Seleka were very violent with us”. A Gabonese contingent from MISCA entered the town on Saturday.
The taking of the northern town was the latest challenge faced by peacekeepers struggling to maintain order in a country the size of France with a long history of coups, attempted coups and army mutinies. MISCA is supported by a French contingent of around 1,600 troops, and the European Union has committed a further 500 troops.
However, the interior of the country is a lawless zone ruled by warlords, with few or no foreign troops present, and newly elected transitional President Catherine Samba Panza has said more troops are needed.
The capture of Sibut came on the same day that the peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic received pledges of $132m from other African states. “We will be judged and measured by our efforts to protect the people of the Central African Republic,” UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliassonhe said.
“We must not let them down... we must not fail to prevent another huge tragedy in Africa.”
AU officials said a total of $410m is required just to keep MISCA going for one year. A total of almost $315m has now been raised or pledged for Central African Republic.
The Central African Republic descended into chaos 10 months ago when the Seleka overthrew the government and installed one of their leaders, Michel Djotodia, as the country’s first Muslim president. AFP
