Eurasia Press & News
French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian headed to the Central African Republic (CAR) on Monday for a two-day visit to take stock of the situation after a rise in violence involving the French deployment in that country.
Defence Ministry sources said that Le Drian will be visiting troops serving in CAR as a back-up to African and now European peace-keepers in the country.
France increased its deployment in CAR from 400 to just over 2,000 starting last November because of sectarian clashes involving Christian and Muslim militias.
Several African nations have also committed forces for peace-keeping and the European Union has committed around 700 personnel under the European flag but with about one third of that force made up of French soldiers.
After a vicious period of pogroms by Christian “Anti-Balaka” militias, which saw hundreds of Muslims killed and tens-of-thousands chased out of CAR to take refuge in Chad and Senegal, the clashes had eased for a period.
But last week seven French soldiers were wounded in clashes and EU troops were also wounded in separate incidents. Sectarian clashes were said to be continuing in the capital, Bangui, and in central CAR.
France says it is not taking the lead in peace-keeping, which is carried out by over 5,000 African troops, but it is often called upon to back up local forces in difficult situations.
