South African casualties in CAR confirmed

SA casualties in CAR confirmed

2013-03-24 18:07

Johannesburg - South African soldiers were killed and injured during the
clashes in the Central African Republic (CAR), the SA National Defence Force
said on Sunday.

"Following the engagement that we had between the SANDF members and the CAR
rebels there were some casualties from both sides," Brigadier General Xolani
Mabanga said.

"We are at the moment still trying to assess the information from the people
on the ground. We cannot therefore confirm any figures."

He said the situation in the CAR was calm by Sunday afternoon and there was
no threat to the lives of South African soldiers.

"But we don't take anything lightly. We are taking all the precautionary
measures."

He said the contact between SANDF members and CAR rebel forces took place on
Saturday.

The clashes happened at an SANDF base on the outskirts of Bangui, the CAR
capital, as well as other isolated incidents.

He could not give any further details.

"We are working towards issuing a media statement."

More troops

Earlier the SANDF issued a statement saying it had deployed more troops to
the CAR following days of clashes between armed forces and rebels.

"Following changes in security situation in the CAR the SANDF sent in some
more support to protect its personnel and equipment," Mabanga said in the
statement.

He said the SANDF has been deploying troops to the CAR since 2007 following
a memorandum of understanding between the two countries. However since the
recent changes in security situation more troops had been sent.

"Since then the security situation deteriorated."

Mabanga said SANDF managed to drive back rebels who attacked the base
outside Bangui.

"The chief of the SANDF has emphasised that the SANDF reserves the right, at
all times, to act decisively in defence of its members and assets deployed
on the ground in CAR."

Mabanga said he could not disclose the number of South African soldiers in
the CAR for security reasons.

Flee

CAR President Francois Bozize fled the capital early on Sunday after
hundreds of armed rebels threatening to overthrow him invaded the city, the
Associated Press reported.

And by midday on Sunday the rebels reportedly took control of Bangui.

The rebel alliance, known as Seleka, reached the outskirts of Bangui late
Saturday and the fighters seized the presidential palace on Sunday.

Rebels from several armed groups that have long opposed Bozize joined forces
in December and began seizing towns across the country's sparsely populated
north. They threatened at the time to march on Bangui, but ultimately halted
their advance and agreed to go to peace negotiations in Libreville, the
capital of Gabon.

A peace deal was signed on 11 January which allowed Bozize to finish his
term that expires in 2016, but the rebels soon began accusing the president
of failing to fulfil the promises that were made, the Associated Press
reported.

They demanded that Bozize send home South African forces who were helping
bolster the country's military. And they sought to integrate some 2000 rebel
fighters into Central African Republic's armed forces.

The deal unravelled more than a week ago, with the rebels again taking
control of two towns and threatening to advance on the capital.

- SAPA

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