Forces of the anti-government "Coalition of Patriots for Change" captured the city of Bangasu, located 750 kilometers from the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR) Bangui.
This was reported by the agency France-Presse with reference to the Multidisciplinary Integrated UN Stabilization Mission in the CAR (MINUSCA). The rebel forces entered Bangasa at dawn, and the battle lasted for several hours.
"The rebels are in control of the city, they are everywhere," said Pierre-Louis Roosevelt, head of the MINUSCA regional office.
Government units left Bangasa and retreated to the nearby MINUSCA base. The city, whose population reaches 50 thousand people, is located on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As reported by EADaily, the anti-government coalition is headed by former CAR President Francois Bozize, who was not allowed to participate in the elections by the CAR's Constitutional Court. On the evening of December 27, after the closing of polling stations in the CAR, there were reports that Bozize had fled the country. However, the next day Bozize said that he was in the CAR and intended to continue the fight.
From the previous aggravations of the situation in the CAR, the current one is fundamentally different from the active participation of Russia, which has been helping the government of Touadera with weapons and military equipment for several years, as well as training the Central African military. The agreement on military cooperation between Moscow and Bangui was signed in Sochi in 2017. In exchange for Russian weapons and instructors, the government of Touadera opened up access to minerals for Russian businesses.