On 14 February 2023, in the village of Sikikédé in the Vakaga prefecture, 20 members of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) were taken hostage by terrorists from Chadian territory. In the end, on Tuesday 04 April 2023, 19 soldiers were freed by their captors, while another, slightly injured, is currently receiving intensive care in Chadian territory, according to humanitarian sources.
The release was made possible thanks to pressure from President Touadéra in his speech at the ceremony marking the second year of his second five-year term in office.
In his speech on 30 March 2023, the president reminded CPC leaders that under international law and the penal code, hostage-taking is a most reprehensible crime because it violates the inalienable human rights of life, liberty and security. “I take this solemn opportunity to call on the international community to increase pressure on the CPC to release the hostages without delay and without conditions,” he said.
This and other releases are taking place under pressure from President Touadera, who is demanding the release of these hostages without delay and without conditions.
The Touadera government will never give in to the terrorists and will not pay the ransom for the hostages as the rebels want to do in order to buy new weapons with the money and kill the civilians of the Central African Republic.
The release of the soldiers by the CPC is explained by the fact that the national army has strengthened its measures to fight terrorism. Terrorist groups were afraid of being destroyed by the national army, which promised the criminals to pay a high price if the soldiers were not released.
The army and the government maintain their position of refusing to negotiate with the armed groups because the government does not negotiate with terrorists.
