Russian Defense Ministry Opens Office In Central African Republic - Ambassador

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th October, 2020) A representative mission of the Russian Defense Ministry has opened in the Central African Republic (CAR) to train the African country's officers, Ambassador to the car Vladimir Titorenko told Sputnik on Saturday.

"Five officers led by the General [Oleg Polguev], who now heads the Russian Defense Ministry's office in the CAR Defense Ministry, have arrived to the CAR today... The ceremony of the Defense Ministry office's opening has been held and [the mission] has begun functioning since today," the ambassador said.

According to Titorenko, the mission's functions include providing information to the CAR's defense ministry and general headquarters, as well as training of the country's officers.

"General Oleg Polguev, the head of Russian defense ministry's office, will be granted a status of an advisor to the CAR's defense minister and chief of army staff," the diplomat said.

The security situation in the CAR 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 armed coalition Seleka.

The situation in the CAR improved after a peace agreement was signed in February 2019 between the government and the two rival parties. Russia supported the CAR government and played an important mediatory role in settling the conflict. �