United Kingdom to provide C-17 transport aircraft to help French troops in Central African Republic

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Defence & Security News - United Kingdom
 
 
Saturday, December 7, 2013 10:34 AM
 
United Kingdom to provide C-17 transport aircraft to help French troops in Central African Republic.
United Kingdom is providing a C-17 transport aircraft to help move French equipment to the Central African Republic where France is committing more troops to respond to a security and humanitarian crisis, Foreign Secretary William Hague said Friday, December 6, 2013.
     
United Kingdom is providing a C-17 transport aircraft to help move French equipment to the Central African Republic where France is committing more troops to respond to a security and humanitarian crisis, Foreign Secretary William Hague said Friday, December 6, 2013.
British Air Force provides C-17 military transport aircraft to help move French equipment to the Central African Republic.
     

The move follows the United Nations Security Council's unanimous authorization on Thursday of the use of military force to contain unrest in the Central African Republic, clearing the way for France to reinforce multinational African troops already on the ground.

The British government said Thursday that it was not considering sending combat troops, but on Friday Mr. Hague said the U.K. was determined to help address the violence in the Central African Republic.

"We have therefore agreed with the government of France that we will help move French equipment to CAR by means of a U.K. C-17 transport aircraft. Three separate flights will take place this month, with the first one due to land in CAR shortly."

Britain provided two of the long-range heavy-lift transport aircraft for France's military deployment in Mali in January.

France--which already has 650 troops in the Central African Republic--will ramp up forces in the coming days to about 1,200 troops, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Thursday.