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French soldiers killed in Central African Republic Hollande to fly to Central African Republic after two French troops killed
(about 4 hours later)
Two French soldiers have been killed in the Central African Republic after clashing with militia forces they had ordered to disarm. The French president, François Hollande, is expected to arrive in the Central African Republic on Wednesday after two French soldiers were killed in clashes with militia fighters they had ordered to disarm.
After being told of the deaths, President François Hollande announced he would fly directly from Nelson Mandela's funeral to Bangui, the capital, where around 1,600 French troops have been deployed alongside 2,500 African Union forces to try to stop the bloodshed between religious factions and restore order. Hollande said he would fly directly from Nelson Mandela's funeral in South Africa to the Central African capital, Bangui, where around 1,600 French troops have been deployed, alongside 2,500 African Union soldiers, to try to stop the bloodshed between religious factions.
The two men, from the 8th Regiment of Marine Infantry Parachutists, based at Castres in southern France, were part of a team inspecting a neighbourhood 1,200 metres east of Bangui's airport close to midnight on Monday, in preparation for a disarmament operation, French military spokesman Colonel Gilles Jaron said in Paris. The two soldiers, from the 8th regiment of marine infantry parachutists, based at Castres in southern France, had been part of a team inspecting an area east of Bangui's airport close to midnight on Monday prior to a disarmament operation, according to a French military spokesman, Colonel Gilles Jaron, speaking in Paris.
Five to 10 gunmen opened fire on the French patrol, which returned fire, he said. Two Frenchmen were wounded and taken to the hospital where they died. It was unclear whether anyone else died in the clash. Gunmen had fired on the French patrol, which returned fire, he said. Two Frenchmen were wounded and taken to hospital, where they died. It was unclear whether anyone else died in the clash.
In a statement, Hollande's office praised their bravery and said the men, who died five days into Operation Sangaris, had "lost their lives to save many others". In a statement, Hollande's office praised their bravery and said the men, who died five days into Operation Sangaris, had "lost their lives to save many others". The Elysée palace said: "The president of the republic has learned with profound sadness the deaths in combat of the two soldiers … the head of state expresses his profound respect for the sacrifice of these two soldiers and renews his full confidence in the French forces deployed, alongside the African forces, to re-establish security in the Central African Republic, to protect the population, and to guarantee access to humanitarian aid."
Tensions flared again on Tuesday as a mob of young men set fire to a mosque in the Fou neighbourhood of Bangui. Smoke billowed from smouldering vehicles nearby, and young men used pick axes and whatever tools they could find to try to tear down the walls of the mosque. Tensions flared up again on Tuesday in the CAR as a mob of young men set fire to a mosque in the Fou area of Bangui. Smoke billowed from vehicles nearby, and men used pickaxes and whatever tools they could find to try to tear down the walls of the mosque.
French troops were sent to the CAR after being given the go-ahead by the United Nations security council on Thursday, following a series of massacres that left more than 450 people dead, many of them women and children. French troops were sent to the country having been given the go-ahead by the UN security council on Thursday after more than 450 people, many of them women and children, were killed in a series of massacres.
They began disarming former rebels and militia who had carried out a series of bloody reprisals over recent weeks and sown terror among the population of the CAR, especially in the capital.They began disarming former rebels and militia who had carried out a series of bloody reprisals over recent weeks and sown terror among the population of the CAR, especially in the capital.
Members of the Séléka, a mostly Muslim coalition, as well as other armed groups, had been given an ultimatum to return to their bases and hand over their weapons. Rebels known as the Séléka, a mostly Muslim coalition, overthrew the government of this majority Christian nation nine months ago.
In a statement, the Elysée presidential palace said: "The president of the republic has learned with profound sadness the deaths in combat of the two soldiers … the head of state expresses his profound respect for the sacrifice of these two soldiers and renews his full confidence in the French forces deployed, alongside the African forces, to re-establish security in the Central African Republic, to protect the population, and to guarantee access to humanitarian aid." The Séléka and other armed groups had been given an ultimatum by the French to return to their bases and hand over their weapons.
Jaron told journalists that most armed groups had been cleared from Bangui's streets. The military spokesman said: "There was no fighting in Bangui. At no moment did these groups try to engage in combat against us."
He said French troops had come up against "furtive firing" and had briefly fired back, but he said these exchanges had now stopped.
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