Fighting in the Central African capital Bangui with six Chadian peacekeepers killed 2712131

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Fighting continue in Central African Capital Bangui

 
Friday, December 27, 2013 10:01 AM
 
Fighting in the Central African capital Bangui with six Chadian peacekeepers killed.
Heavy arms fire triggered panic Wednesday, December 25, 2013, in the Central African capital Bangui, prompting a French force to deploy armoured vehicles near the airport, where tens of thousands of residents are seeking refuge from deadly sectarian violence. Six Chadian peacekeepers have died in clashes in the Central African Republic capital, where French troops on Thursday were out in force a day after heavy gunfire sowed panic in the city.
     
Heavy arms fire triggered panic Wednesday, December 25, 2013, in the Central African capital Bangui, prompting a French force to deploy armoured vehicles near the airport, where tens of thousands of residents are seeking refuge from deadly sectarian violence. Six Chadian peacekeepers have died in clashes in the Central African Republic capital, where French troops on Thursday were out in force a day after heavy gunfire sowed panic in the city.
Africa Union peacekeeping soldiers take strategic positions in an armoured truck to quell street violence in neighbourhoods in the Central African Republic's capital Bangui, December 20, 2013.
     

The French armoured vehicles took positions at the entrance to the airport, where French and African peacekeepers are based, after automatic weapons fire and explosions shook several parts of the city.

The gunfire subsided as night fell, giving way to a tense calm in the capital in which residents are grappling with increasingly unreliable electricity and telephone connections.

Automatic weapons fire, much of it from heavy machine guns, was heard but apparently not directed at the airport.

The head of the Burundian contingent in the African MISCA force told AFP his men were disarming former rebels on Monday when Chadian troops from MISCA threw a grenade and opened fire on them, prompting some Burundian elements to return fire, wounding three Chadians.

On Monday, Chadian soldiers had opened fire on hundreds of stone-throwing protesters, mostly Christians, killing one man and wounding around 40 others, three seriously.

Traditionally influential in the Central African Republic, neighbouring Chad is France's main partner in its efforts to re-establish peace in the country. It contributes 850 troops to the 3,700-strong MISCA force.

But the growing defiance of Central Africans toward the Chadian contingent is complicating the task of the 1,600 French troops deployed to the country since the beginning of December.

     
Sangaris operation French Army Central African Republic military operations map
Sangaris operation French Army Central African Republic military operations map