The Central African government claims to have rejected a request from a Chadian armed group to set up a rear base in northeastern CAR. In a press release, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sylvie Baïpo-Temon assures that a group called Rassemblement Populaire pour la Justice et l’Égalité au Tchad would have written to the prefect of the province of Vakaga, to obtain his agreement.
Sylvie Baïpo, head of Central African diplomacy, affirmed Bangui’s determination “to work together with all neighboring countries to put a definitive end to cross-border crime”. This declaration of appeasement comes as relations between the Central African Republic and its northern neighbor have become strained again in recent times.
The starting point for these new tensions was clashes that killed around twenty people on April 17 and 18 in southwestern Chad. Communal conflicts are common in the region, except that this time the authorities blamed “Chadian rebels who came from the Central African Republic” to fuel local tensions.
“Veiled Threat”
On April 20th, on a site visit, the Minister of Defense made a virulent declaration: “Soon, if someone kills a citizen here, even if he flees to Bangui, we will find him in Bangui”, thundered General Daoud Yaya Brahim.
Since then, in the Central African Republic, some are worried about a “veiled threat” and this Thursday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs thus sent a signal of appeasement. The government “cannot accept that the Central African territory serves as a rear base for any group, coalition of armed groups or any initiative to destabilize a neighboring country” writes Sylvie Baïpo-Témon.
For several months, Chad has highlighted the formation of armed groups on the other side of the border. The United States would also have warned Ndjamena of threats of destabilization supported by Wagner’s Russian mercenaries from neighboring countries.