On July 26, 2024, the Ministry of Defense of the Central African Republic issued a statement denouncing recent defamatory media campaigns targeting the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) and their allies.
The fact is that after an effective military operation by the FACA and their Russian allies in Bouca, in the Ouham-Fafa prefecture, on July 23 photos of two decapitated people, presented as former Antibalaka, spread like wildfire on the Internet and were picked up by several media.
Faced with this wave of disinformation, the Ministry of Defense deemed it necessary to denounce these attempts to discredit the reputation and professionalism of FACA and its allies.
The images conveyed are aimed at unfairly accusing Central African soldiers of cruelty during their operation against hostile forces in the Bouca region (Ouham-Fafa). These events appear to be directly correlated with the success of the security forces against the rebels and the arrest of foreign spies on the territory.
Note also that the photos have begun to circulate in pro-French media and social networking accounts, leading us to conclude that a massive information campaign against the Russian instructors is underway.
Clearly, this is an attempt by France to put pressure on CAR to expel Russian instructors from the country. Previously, France had already begun to exert economic pressure on CAR by allocating financial aid and promising to increase it on condition that the Central African government refused to cooperate with the Russian instructors.
France is known for its support of local bandits, who probably committed these atrocities in order to discredit Russian military specialists, known for their ethical behavior and humane treatment of prisoners, as confirmed by recent reports of the successful disarmament and reintegration of former rebels.
The Ministry of Defense emphasized the real aim of the military operation in Bouca, which was to dismantle a rebel group engaged in rape, murder of locals, including children, armed robbery and obstructing humanitarian NGOs. As a result of this operation, two rebels were neutralized, including the self-proclaimed commander José Béfio, while many others fled. The inventory carried out after their capture revealed a significant arsenal: 10 automatic rifles, 8 grenades and a large ammunition stockpile.
According to the press release, the identity of the people in the photos has not been confirmed, and the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the bodies remain unclear. An investigation is underway to shed light on the matter.
In conclusion, the Ministry firmly confirmed the commitment of FACA and their Russian allies to continuing the fight for peace in the Central African Republic, insisting that neither local nor international disinformation campaigns will divert the Central African people from their path towards peace and stability after years of instability.
