Central African Republic Asks Russia To Promote Lifting Of UN Arms Embargo - Ambassador

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th October, 2020) The Central African Republic has requested Russia to promote the lifting of an arms embargo on the country in the UN Security Council, so that it could import heavy weapons, Russian Ambassador in Bangui Vladimir Titorenko told Sputnik on Saturday.

"The Central African Republic - its president and minister of defense - has requested Russia to promote the lifting of the arms embargo in the UN Security Council as soon as possible to enable [the CAR] to import not only armored personnel carriers, but also heavy weapons, namely artillery and helicopters," Titorenko said.

According to the ambassador, in this case, the CAR's armed forces will be able to conduct military actions on their own, regain control of the country's entire territory and secure all the borders with the neighboring countries, including Chad, Sudan and South Sudan.

Earlier in the day, Russia sent 10 more armored reconnaissance and patrol vehicles BRDM-2 to the car on a non-reimbursable basis.

The security situation in the African country has deteriorated since the start of the civil war in September 2013, when an anti-balaka coalition organized large-scale attacks against Muslim civilians, who had to flee to the northern part of the CAR, controlled by a Muslim militia alliance, Seleka.

The political destabilization forced the UN Security Council to adopt resolution 2127 (2013) that imposed an arms embargo on the country.

The situation in the CAR improved after a peace agreement was signed between the government and armed groups in February 2019. Russia supported the CAR government and played a mediation role in settling the conflict.�