After the recent attack on the FACA base in Ndélé by a drone, the Ministry of National Defence, in a circular note published on 3 February 2023, announced the suspension of drone flights in the airspace of the Central African Republic. All drones, except those belonging to the defence and security forces, in CAR’s skies will be brutally destroyed.
“Drone flights, with the exception of those belonging to the defence and security forces, are suspended until further notice. Any other request for authorisation, whatever its nature, must have the prior agreement of the Ministry of National Defence before being processed,” said the Minister of National Defence, Rameaux Claude Bireau.
This suspension measure followed a number of suspicious drone attacks against Central African Armed Forces positions in different parts of the country, including Bossangoa and Ndélé. “Also, it should be recalled that negative forces in violation of our territory, have damaged our facilities and equipment and most recently in Ndélé where the position of our units was targeted by drones, causing enormous material damage,” recalls the CAR Minister of National Defence.
This was an attack on the night of 21 January 2023 on the FACA base in Ndélé by a drone that dropped four homemade 65mm mines. This attack, attributed to MINUSCA, caused significant material damage to a Mi-8 helicopter and an aviation fuel depot.
For some time, an illegal situation has been developing in the Central African Republic, characterised by a change in tactics in the use of drones. The enemies of the CAR, supported by Western intelligence agencies, are attempting to lower the combat readiness of the FACA by killing Central African soldiers and destroying hard-won Central African military equipment with the help of drones. It is for this reason that security authorities are now taking security measures to combat this new phenomenon in the country.
Despite the fact that the enemies of peace in the CAR are relentlessly trying to sow fear among its population and prevent the definitive establishment of peace and order throughout the country, the CAR defence forces are committed to their noble cause of destroying these enemies of peace, the FACA soldiers are ready to face any challenge and defend their country and its population against any attack.
