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| Clashes in Central African Republic as French gear up for major intervention | Clashes in Central African Republic as French gear up for major intervention |
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| A major French military intervention in the Central African Republic (CAR) is expected within days of a UN vote on Thursday as the world races to prevent a sectarian war. | A major French military intervention in the Central African Republic (CAR) is expected within days of a UN vote on Thursday as the world races to prevent a sectarian war. |
| The move comes as the country's capital, Bangui, witnessed its heaviest clashes for months between mainly Muslim rebels and militias from the Christian majority. | The move comes as the country's capital, Bangui, witnessed its heaviest clashes for months between mainly Muslim rebels and militias from the Christian majority. |
| Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, told BFM-TV that around 1,200 French soldiers would be deployed in the operation. About 600 French troops are already in the former colony, which has been controlled by a coalition of rebel groups since a coup in March. | |
| The fighters known as the Seleka are accused of numerous atrocities and recruiting child soldiers, and Fabius has warned that the nation is verging on genocide. "We have to end this humanitarian catastrophe and restore security," he said. | The fighters known as the Seleka are accused of numerous atrocities and recruiting child soldiers, and Fabius has warned that the nation is verging on genocide. "We have to end this humanitarian catastrophe and restore security," he said. |
| France has called for the UN security council to vote on a resolution that would authorise the deployment of an African Union-led force to the CAR for a year to protect civilians and restore security and public order. The AU force is replacing a regional peacekeeping mission whose presence has been mainly limited to Bangui and a few northern cities. | |
| The UN resolution would also authorise French forces, for a temporary period, "to take all necessary measures" to support the AU-led force, whose troop numbers are expected to rise from about 2,500 to 3,500. | The UN resolution would also authorise French forces, for a temporary period, "to take all necessary measures" to support the AU-led force, whose troop numbers are expected to rise from about 2,500 to 3,500. |
| Crackles of gunfire erupted at around 6am in Bangui on Thursday and could still be heard sporadically nearly three hours later close to the city's international airport. There were other reports of arms fire from suburbs north and east of Bangui. | Crackles of gunfire erupted at around 6am in Bangui on Thursday and could still be heard sporadically nearly three hours later close to the city's international airport. There were other reports of arms fire from suburbs north and east of Bangui. |
| "There has been gunfire all over town," Amy Martin, head of the UN office for the co-ordination of humanitarian affairs in Bangui, told Reuters. The clashes appeared to have started around the Boy-Rabe neighbourhood, she added, a stronghold of ousted president François Bozizé that has been repeatedly raided by Seleka forces amid reports arms had been distributed to civilians before his fall. | "There has been gunfire all over town," Amy Martin, head of the UN office for the co-ordination of humanitarian affairs in Bangui, told Reuters. The clashes appeared to have started around the Boy-Rabe neighbourhood, she added, a stronghold of ousted president François Bozizé that has been repeatedly raided by Seleka forces amid reports arms had been distributed to civilians before his fall. |
| The Seleka scrambled fighters in the direction of the gunfire as panicked residents ran for safety. General Arda Hakouma, now head of interim president Michel Djotodia's personal security detail, said "anti-balaka" forces had attacked and fighting was taking place in three parts of the city. "There are many of them," he said. "Some of them are well armed with rifles and rocket launchers. Others are dressed in civilian clothes with machetes." | The Seleka scrambled fighters in the direction of the gunfire as panicked residents ran for safety. General Arda Hakouma, now head of interim president Michel Djotodia's personal security detail, said "anti-balaka" forces had attacked and fighting was taking place in three parts of the city. "There are many of them," he said. "Some of them are well armed with rifles and rocket launchers. Others are dressed in civilian clothes with machetes." |
| "Anti-balaka", or "anti-machete", is the name adopted by mainly Christian vigilante groups who took up arms against the Seleka, whose ranks include hundreds of mercenaries from neighbouring Chad and Sudan. This has led to growing tit-for-tat violence along sectarian lines. | "Anti-balaka", or "anti-machete", is the name adopted by mainly Christian vigilante groups who took up arms against the Seleka, whose ranks include hundreds of mercenaries from neighbouring Chad and Sudan. This has led to growing tit-for-tat violence along sectarian lines. |
| One resident of Bangui said he saw a group of about 40 "anti-balaka" fighters in the Ngaragba neighbourhood, some in military fatigues and others in jeans and shorts. Armed with AK47 assault rifles and rocket launchers, they broke open the doors to the prison. One of the fighters told the resident: "Stay at home. Show us the houses of the Muslims." | One resident of Bangui said he saw a group of about 40 "anti-balaka" fighters in the Ngaragba neighbourhood, some in military fatigues and others in jeans and shorts. Armed with AK47 assault rifles and rocket launchers, they broke open the doors to the prison. One of the fighters told the resident: "Stay at home. Show us the houses of the Muslims." |
| Another resident, Wilfred Koyamba, told Reuters: "When Seleka entered, there were dead Christians. This time it could be worse … We need the French. The French have to come quickly." | Another resident, Wilfred Koyamba, told Reuters: "When Seleka entered, there were dead Christians. This time it could be worse … We need the French. The French have to come quickly." |
| Several French armoured personnel carriers were seen driving through the streets of the riverside capital early on Thursday. Troops and vehicles were deployed outside the French embassy. | Several French armoured personnel carriers were seen driving through the streets of the riverside capital early on Thursday. Troops and vehicles were deployed outside the French embassy. |
| The conflict has spread well beyond Bangui, forcing people to flee their villages. Earlier this week an attack blamed on the anti-balaka killed nearly a dozen women and children in a remote community. Marie Harf, deputy spokesperson at the US state department, said: "This horrifying account is the latest in a string of reports that illustrate the deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in the CAR that could lead to an escalation in violence and further atrocities." | |
| The International Crisis Group thinktank has warned that the situation on the ground is deteriorating at a much faster pace than the international response is mobilising and that the CAR is staring "into an abyss of potentially appalling proportions". It supported AU and French military action and called for immediate inter-religious dialogue and urgent reconstruction projects. | The International Crisis Group thinktank has warned that the situation on the ground is deteriorating at a much faster pace than the international response is mobilising and that the CAR is staring "into an abyss of potentially appalling proportions". It supported AU and French military action and called for immediate inter-religious dialogue and urgent reconstruction projects. |
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