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On January 13th, rebels in the Central African Republic launched a coordinated attack on the capital Bangui.
They were ultimately pushed back, as announced by the UN Mission in the country.
The assault was the first time rebels struck so close to the city since President Faustin Archange Touadera was re-elected on December 27th.
“The attackers who came in large numbers to take Bangui have been vigorously pushed back,” Prime Minister Firmin Ngrebada said
This vote followed what the authorities in the countries was an attempt at a coup by the rebel forces.
“The attack was repelled by Blue Helmets together with the Central African forces,” the spokesman for the MINUSCA peacekeeping mission said in a statement.
It all began with attacks on the CAR and UN army units in the early morning. These positions were at 9km and 12km from the capital, targeted two army brigades but the rebel forces were repelled, Interior Minister Henri Wanzet Linguissara said.
A Rwandan member of the force was killed while another was wounded. A number of attackers were killed, while others were arrested, according to the MINUSCA statement.
The attacks were the latest since the alliance of CAR’s six most powerful rebel groups who control two-thirds of the country launched an offensive to prevent Touadera’s re-election.
Despite that, he won the vote and was declared the winner on January 4th. The coalition of armed groups, the same one that’s accused of a coup vowed to march on Bangui and take control.
The rebels have carried out sporadic attacks mostly in towns far from the capital that were repelled by UN peacekeepers and Central African troops, along with Rwandan and Russian soldiers and mercenaries.
CAR prosecutors have launched an investigation into former President Francois Bozize, whom the government accuses of plotting the alleged coup with the help of the armed groups.
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– On January 13, CAR forces repelled two large attacks by rebels in the outskirts of Bangui city
– On January 14, the CAR government announced strengthened the curfew in Bangui. It is now from 6pm to 5am
– On January 13, rebels attacked the capital of Central African Republic, but the attack was repelled by security forces and UN peacekeepers
– On January 13, Security Council members discussed the situation in the CAR under “any other business” at the request of France
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