Gov't Troops, Allies Key To Regaining Full Control Over Central African Republic - MINUSCA

Military operations by the Central African Republic government troops and their allies remain key to regaining full control over the country, the head of the UN peacekeeping mission told Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th April, 2021) Military operations by the Central African Republic government troops and their allies remain key to regaining full control over the country, the head of the UN peacekeeping mission told Sputnik.

"National defense and security forces and their allied foreign forces have been and remain instrumental to the extension of the car control over its territory," Mankeur Ndiaye said.

Tensions flared in the country ahead of a general election in December when a rebel coalition accused the president of vote fraud. Only one in three voters were able to cast their ballots, as most of the CAR was under militant control.

CAR forces have since driven rebels out of dozens of towns with the help of Russian instructors and Rwandan troops, allowing the war-torn nation to hold a more inclusive legislative poll in March.

"Alike MINUSCA, they contributed, in their respective areas of responsibility, to the creation of a more conducive environment for the holding of the second-round legislative elections with an increased participation rate," Ndiaye said.

The official, who also represents the UN boss in CAR, said that the mission was not allowed by the rules of engagement to cooperate directly with the Republic's international allies but reached out to Russia through the government in Bangui.

"The Government is our main interlocutor. However, MINUSCA maintains a framework for regular engagements and information exchange with the Government, which is extended to Russian Ambassador to avoid unnecessary confusion on the ground," he said.

Ndiaye insisted that the government needed to seek a comprehensive political dialogue with all forces on the ground to complement military gains and restore peace in CAR. He welcomed a presidential initiative toward this goal as a means of addressing root causes of the crisis.

"Military operations are necessary and key to establish the state full control over its wide territory, but it won't be self-sufficient alone to bring the stability that all central Africans are expecting," he said.

The UN refugee agency estimates that 742,000 people had been forced out of their homes as of late February, the highest number since 2014 and an increase of 19 percent since October. From mid-December to mid-March, 336,000 people were newly displaced because of election-related violence and 115,000 people fled to neighboring countries.