BANGUI — A Central African Republic attack helicopter opened fire on rebels advancing on the capital on Friday, breaking up their column, a senior regional peacekeeping source said, days after a peace deal broke down in the mineral-rich nation.
Reuters
The source from a neighbouring Central African power, who asked not to be named, said the helicopter strike had halted the Seleka insurgents — although no one from the rebels was available to comment and Central African Republic officials said fighting was continuing on the road to Bangui.
France’s Foreign ministry said the rebels had advanced to within “a few kilometers” of the capital of its former colony and it advised French citizens there to restrict their movements.
The UN Security Council expressed strong concern at the developments and “condemned all attempts to undermine the stability of the Central African Republic.” In a statement, the 15-member council urged all parties to stop fighting.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon echoed those views in his own statement. The UN Security Council convened an emergency session on Friday afternoon to discuss the fighting.
In Bangui, panicked residents ran through the streets, shops closed and schools sent home students after national radio announced the rebel approach.
Seleka, a loose umbrella group of insurgents that has accused the government of breaking a series of peace deals, said earlier its forces planned to take the city on Friday.
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“The rebel column, which was headed south, was stopped by an aircraft . . . an attack helicopter,” the senior regional military source said. “The helicopter opened fire on the column, forcing it to disperse. … The rebels have not reached Bangui,” he added.
The violence is the latest in a series of rebel incursions, clashes and coups that have plagued the landlocked nation in the heart of Africa since its independence in 1960.
The Central African Republic remains among the least developed countries in the world despite rich deposits of gold, diamonds and uranium.
The Seleka force took a series of towns and came close to the capital last year, after accusing President Francois Bozize of failing to honour an earlier peace deal to give its fighters cash and jobs in exchange for laying down their arms.
Regional powers, including Chad and South Africa, sent in troops to back the government and the revolt ended in a January peace accord.
Seleka broke that truce on Wednesday, saying the government had again failed to implement agreements to incorporate its fighters into the army and get the foreign troops withdrawn.
