UN troops recapture Central African city from armed group

United Nations peacekeeping troops said that they have retaken control of a city in the Central African Republic captured two weeks ago by armed groups waging an offensive against the government of President Faustin Archange Touadera.

According to a statement released by the UN on Sunday, the rebels abandoned their positions in Bangassou, a town located 750 km east of the capital, Bangui. This follows an ultimatum by the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic released on Friday.

"The town of Bangassou is under the full control of (the UN troops), following the ultimatum issued on Friday by the Force de la Mission to armed groups. The rebels abandoned the positions they occupied and fled the city overnight from Friday to Saturday," Vladimir Monteiro, the mission's spokesman, said.

"In the middle of the week, additional peacekeepers arrived in Bangassou to reinforce the system in place and launch an operation intended to restore order and effective state authority in the city, and to protect the civilian population. Peacekeepers have stepped up patrols in the city and now control all major axes," he added.

Armed groups waging a nationwide offensive captured the city on Jan 3, forcing many residents to flee across the border to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Monteiro said the mission will continue to work with administrative authorities and defense and security forces to reoccupy administrative buildings and bases, and resume their functions.

"Residents who fled Bangassou after the Jan 3 attack began to return to the city. (The mission) remains resolutely committed to protecting the population and local authorities within the framework of its mandate, by maintaining this proactive and robust posture adopted by the peacekeepers," Monteiro said.

"The (mission) force remains on alert to prevent any action by armed groups targeting the civilian population, state authority and peacekeepers or the return of rebels to the city."

On Jan 15, Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, strongly condemned attacks by alleged Coalition des Patriotes pour le Changement combatants on a mission convoy on the same day in the Central African Republic town of Grimari. One UN Soldier was killed in the attack.

"The secretary-general expresses his deepest condolences to the family of the victim, and to the people and government of Burundi where he came from. He wishes a speedy recovery to the injured peacekeepers," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, said.

"The secretary-general recalls that attacks against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute a war crime. He calls on the Central African Republic authorities to spare no effort in identifying the perpetrators of these attacks so that they can be brought to justice swiftly. Attacks against peacekeepers should not go unpunished," Dujarric added.