Insurgents from the Central African Republic seize Bangassou, says UN

Insurgents from the Central African Republic seize Bangassou, says UN

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Road in Bangassou, CAR, on December 22, 2020
Bangassou, pictured the month before it was seized, is on the border with DR Congo

Rebel forces have seized a southeastern city in the Central African Republic, said a United Nations mission.

The rebels carried out a dawn attack and were now all over Bangassou, the official said, adding that fighting was continuing in various parts.

A rebel coalition has attacked several towns over the past few weeks and is currently taking control of two-thirds of the country.

They accuse the government of holding a fraudulent election on December 27.

The government has denied the allegations. The initial results of the presidential election and seats in the national assembly are expected on Monday.

Authorities also accused former president François Bozizé, who supports the rebels, of trying to stage a coup – something he denied.

The Central African Republic (CAR) is a rich but deeply unstable country that has seen several coups since the independence of France 60 years ago.

Mary Harper, editor of BBC Africa, says there seems to be no disappointment in rebel activities.

On Saturday, the rebel coalition attacked the city of Damara, which is about 70 km north of the capital Bangui.

ENGINE KEY EVENTS. [ 2003 Rebel leader and former army commander Francois Bozizé seizes power ],[ 2009 UN Security Council agrees to creation of UN peace-building office for CAR to address ongoing insecurity ],[ 2013 Bozizé flees into exile as Seleka rebel coalition rapidly overruns the country and takes control of the capital ],[ 2015 Referendum on constitutional changes in November, followed by first round of presidential election ],[ 2019 Bozizé returns to CAR ], Source: Source: BBC, Image: Man with eggs
ENGINE KEY EVENTS. [ 2003 Rebel leader and former army commander Francois Bozizé seizes power ],[ 2009 UN Security Council agrees to creation of UN peace-building office for CAR to address ongoing insecurity ],[ 2013 Bozizé flees into exile as Seleka rebel coalition rapidly overruns the country and takes control of the capital ],[ 2015 Referendum on constitutional changes in November, followed by first round of presidential election ],[ 2019 Bozizé returns to CAR ], Source: Source: BBC, Image: Man with eggs

The CAR is one of the poorest countries in Africa, although it is rich in resources such as diamonds and uranium. The UN, which has nearly 13,000 peacekeepers on the ground, estimates that half of the population is dependent on humanitarian aid.

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