French troops battle with Muslim fighters in CAR
Iran Press TV
Sat May 24, 2014 8:50PM GMT
Fierce battles have reportedly broken out between French forces operating in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Muslim fighters loyal to the Seleka group.
According to witnesses, the French troops, who were supported by helicopter gunships, engaged in a heavy firefight with the Muslim fighters in the central town of Bambari on Saturday.
Reports further said a French military helicopter fired at least one rocket into the fighters' position in Bambari.
The Central African Republic descended into chaos last December, when Christian armed groups launched coordinated attacks against the mostly Muslim Seleka group that toppled the government in March 2013.
In recent months, Christian militiamen have been raging violence against the Muslim minority in the CAR, killing thousands of them and displacing many more.
In December 2013, France invaded its former colony after the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution giving the African Union and Paris the go-ahead to deploy troops to the country.
France has deployed some 2,000 troops to the CAR. However, many believe the French troops, known as the Sangaris, target Muslims and turn a blind eye to the acts of violence committed by the Christian militia, an accusation Paris rejects.
In February, Amnesty International said a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" is underway against Muslim civilians in the Central African Republic despite the presence of thousands of foreign troops in the country.
Over the past weeks, the Central African Republic has witnessed a wave of anti-Paris protests amid increasing anger at France's military presence in the country.
MKA/MAM/AS
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