Almost 1,000 others were injured since militia men attacked the capital late last year.
The death toll from months of ceaseless sectarian violence in the Central African Republic, CAR capital, Bangui, has been on the rise, agency reports said yesterday, March 31, 2014. The country’s Red Cross released figures over the weekend showing that about 1,400 people were killed and 960 others wounded since the pro-Christian anti-Balaka militia launched coordinated attacks on the capital on December 5, 2013.
The attacks were believed to be a response to the excesses of the defunct pro-Moslem Séléka militia that had been terrorizing the country since the March 24, 2013 coup by Michel Djotodia. The head of CAR Red Cross, Antoine Mbao Bogo, said one volunteer was shot dead three weeks ago at home by unknown gunmen while six others were attacked on Friday, March 28, 2014 by armed men at KM 5 Market as they were trying to rescue victims of a grenade attack. He warned that if the attacks continued, the CAR Red Cross might be obliged to suspend the collection of corpses from the streets.
Last weekend was particularly bloody in Bangui as anti-Balaka militia men besieging Moslems in one of the city’s neighbourhoods, clashed with African Union-led MISCA troops attempting to ferry them to safety. At least seven people were killed in the skirmishes. A grenade attack on a funeral vigil in the Kango neighbourhood left at least 20 people dead, according to official sources.
Meanwhile, the European Union, EU peacekeeping mission for the Central African Republic, Eufor-RCA, is expected to be deployed in the coming days, Radio France Internationale, RFI, reported yesterday. EU sources said gaps in troop contribution and logistics were filled up on Friday, March 28, 2014. Eufor-RCA is to be commanded by Frenchman, Gen. Philippe Pontiès.
At least 500 soldiers will be sent to support 2,000 French and 5,500 MISCA peacekeepers who have been battling to quell religious violence in the country. The troops will be deployed around the capital and the Bangui M’Poko International Airport where 100,000 Internally-displaced People, IDPs, are living in dire conditions. The force will also protect people under threat and create conditions for the supply of humanitarian aid.
