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Vol 54 No 25

Published 13th December 2013


Central African Republic

On the brink

French and regional troops are preventing the violence getting worse but no political force seems able to provide leadership

As French President François Hollande flew to Bangui on 10 December, it was already clear that the religious and ethnic divisions that spawned most of the killing will take long to heal. The 5 December violence in Bangui, which claimed about 500 lives, is now contained by the 1,600 French troops of Opération Sangaris. They are bolstering the regional force, the Mission de consolidation de la paix en République centrafricaine (Micopax). Tension between Christians and Muslims – stirred up by Séléka militia and supporters of ousted President François Bozizé – is extremely high. Séléka is ideologically incoherent but Islamists aim to change that, via its many fighters from Darfur and others. French troops are seeking two commanders with links to Nigeria’s Boko Haram.

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