Washington - The United States on Tuesday warned it could freeze $2.2-million in US aid to the Central African Republic in the wake of a coup, and denounced reports of widespread looting as “unacceptable”.
The United States condemned “the illegitimate seizure of power by the Seleka rebel alliance”, State Department spokesperson Patrick Ventrell said, calling it an “extrajudicial” seizure of power.
Washington also denounced the weekend ousting of president Francois Bozize, who was forced into exile in Cameroon, as well as rebel leader Michel Djotodia's “self-appointment as president”.
“The Seleka leadership must account for a trail of destruction left by its forces throughout the CAR during the months of fighting,” Ventrell told journalists.
Reports of extensive looting by rebel forces were “unacceptable, and the perpetrators must be held accountable”, he added.
The United States is “actively and carefully reviewing the events to see what the foreign assistance implications” are.
Washington currently provides just over $2.2-million in assistance for projects such as training the country's military and anti-trafficking programmes.
A further $22-million in humanitarian aid would not be affected, as such assistance usually continues to flow to help stricken populations, providing it is not being distributed through rebel leaders.
There are also between 70 to 80 US military trainers in the Central African Republic. - Sapa-AFP