Bangui - Fears are mounting for the safety of South African troops in the Central African Republic (CAR) as rebels launched a new offensive against the capital Bangui, with the exact whereabouts of CAR President Francois Bozize unclear.
President Jacob Zuma deployed about 200 South African troops early in January as the Seleka rebels, trying to topple Bozize, advanced on Bangui. France and regional African governments also intervened militarily, forcing Seleka to sign a peace deal with Bozize on January 11.
But on Friday Seleka renewed hostilities, taking the town of Damara as they marched again towards Bangui. Eric Massi, a Seleka spokesman in Paris, said the rebels had renewed fighting because Bozize had reneged on the peace deal to integrate its fighters into the army.
Sources in CAR said yesterday that the South African troops were stationed about 12km from Bangui, and so could be in the line of fire.
It was not clear yesterday if the troops would fight the rebels or flee if confronted. Diplomatic sources said Bozize visited South Africa on Thursday to consult Zuma about the new threat. Some said he had returned to Bangui – which suggested Zuma had reassured him that the South African troops would defend him – but other reports said Bozize had not returned home.
SANDF spokesman Siphiwe Dlamini said: “I am unable to comment on the situation in the CAR as reported in the media.” A source close to the military speculated that the South African and French troops would probably try to hold Bangui airport, failing which the South Africans would probably flee across the Congo River to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Military sources have revealed that when the Seleka rebels advanced on Bangui in January, the heads of the SANDF advised Zuma to pull out the 26 South African military advisers who had been in the country for several years training the CAR military, and to abandon their equipment.
But Zuma said it would look bad if the South Africans fled under pressure, so authorised the deployment of about 400 troops, mainly special combat forces, to protect the soldiers and equipment already in the country. Of the 400 soldiers authorised, the sources said about half had been deployed.
By seizing Damara on Friday, Seleka rebels crossed the boundary line drawn by regional forces in January.
Seleka attacked the town of Bossangoa early on Friday, before taking Damara later in the day. Panic then spread throughout the capital, with neighbourhoods closest to the northern gate of the city emptying. Banks and government offices closed early as the rebels came within 30km of the capital.
Seleka, a loose umbrella group of insurgents, fought its way to the gates of the capital last year after accusing Bozize of failing to honour an earlier peace deal.
Weekend Argus