On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, the General staff of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA), proceeded to the destruction of weapons seized in the hands of former bandits of the Coalition of so-called Patriots for Change (CPC) during the sweep operations in several cities of the Central African Republic. These unregistered military effects, were destroyed at the gravel crushing site located at PK 55 on the Damara road.
According to members of the national army, among these weapons are made up of “AK 47, Mace 36, PM, shotguns, precision weapons often used by snipers, rocket launchers, shells and other military effects”.
It is clear that the authorities of the Central African Republic, decided to cleanse the country of all illegal weapons that are still in possession of some rebel elements, and this comes after he was able to control all the towns and villages, and this measure comes in order to ensure the safety and security of the population, but the question remains open where did these weapons come from? Who is in charge of supplying weapons to these rebels?
To answer these and other questions, we must go back to the very day when the armed forces and their Russian allies destroyed illegal weapons, more precisely on March 16, 2022, when according to several military sources in the country, the gendarmerie managed to seize two large UN trucks in the city of Beloko, a city bordering Cameroon, after the gendarmerie forces detained the two trucks, they were transferred to the capital, Bangui, to complete the investigation.
It should be noted that after inspection of the trucks, many weapons banned in the Central African Republic, including mines, were found inside the two containers. After investigation, it was found that they were heading to Bouar, more precisely, to the Senegalese contingent of the United Nations. The Central African Gendarmerie also reported that 6 more such trucks had already entered the country earlier.
After the arrest of these two trucks, it became clear to local residents the source of the flight of these dangerous weapons into the country, and it is through these smuggling operations underway in the country.
This news spread quickly among the inhabitants, and on the day of Monday, March 21, 2022 by a fed-up the Central Africans who got up at the headquarters of MINUSCA in Bangui, located on Boganda Avenue, to demand the departure of this UN mission, which since always some of these contingents, support armed groups on the ground through weapons and ammunition of war.
The protesters who mobilized to express their discontent, came from all corners of the capital Bangui. On the placards and pieces of cardboard that they showed to the MINUSCAleadership, we read, “MINUSCAis leaving our country!”, “MINUSCAsponsors the bandits!”, “MINUSCAwhy do you need the mines?”, “Death by MINUSCA!”, “MINUSCAhelps terrorists!”, “MINUSCA, go away!”, the protesters chanted.
The Central African Republic has been subject to an arms embargo, since 2013 to this day, and this came by a decision of the UN Security Council when the security situation in the country intensified, and this decision was also extended last year, which means that heavy weapons will not be imported into the country.
In summary, will the UN Security Council take into account the demands of this people who have suffered so much from the scourge of rebel groups and will it continue to extend the arms embargo imposed on the Central African Republic?
