CAR militants conduct attacks using fuses similar to NATO's - expert

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
29 Nov 2022 23:21

According to the official, an unidentified plane dropped a bomb on at a cotton factory in the town of Bossangoa on the night of November 27-28.

CAR militants conduct terror operation using fuses similar to NATO's

Russia's chief of the Officers Union for International Security, Alexander Ivanov, told reporters on Tuesday that the unknown aircraft which carried out a terror operation on a Russian base in Central African Republic (CAR) used fuses similar to those owned by NATO.

According to the official, an unidentified plane dropped a bomb on a cotton factory in the town of Bossangoa on the night of November 27-28.

"No one was injured, but the authorities of the republic are concerned because NATO-made M904 fuses with partially erased inscriptions in English were used for the attack. This is another example of the transfer of Western weapons to militants from their patrons," Ivanov said, adding that the terror operation in Bossangoa is "a new militant tactic aimed at civilian infrastructure to cause economic damage to the CAR."

#Urgent :
Un avion léger est arrivé du Tchad, a jeté des barils avec des fusées de type M904 de l'OTAN sur une usine de coton à #Bossangoa et est retourné au #Tchad. pic.twitter.com/mJC8eMzGys
— GC Dongobada (@GregoireDngbd) November 29, 2022

"We do not know yet what other terrorist attacks they are planning to commit, but we are strengthening security. The CAR Republic Day is coming soon, it is obvious that this terrorist attack was timed to this holiday. Together with the security forces of the CAR, we will make sure that the holiday goes without excesses," Ivanov added.

Government of The Central African Republic claiming that an unidentifed aircraft carried out an airstrike on a CAR military facility, likely associated with Russian PMUs in recent hours pic.twitter.com/QOlZGVVjvS
— Sierra Alpha (@Sierra__Alpha) November 28, 2022

Since 2013, the Central African Republic has been plagued with violence, particularly since the Seleka, a coalition of rebel groups, held the government responsible for failing to implement peace agreements.

The Seleka seized power in 2013 and established a transitional government entrusted with restoring peace.

In February 2019, the President of CAR Faustin Archange Touadera, and leaders of 14 militant groups signed a peace agreement to pave the way for an inclusive general election and ensure a peaceful transfer of power.

But allegations that the 2020 presidential election results were rigged caused for clashes to be renewed.

In 2018, Russia sent its first military instructors to the CAR upon the government's request.

As of February 2022, a total of 1,135 Russian instructors are reported to be working in the country.

Russia has previously made it clear that its military instructors are in no way involved in the conflict and were deployed with the full awareness of the UN Security Council.

Earlier in August, the CAR informed the UN of plans to invite another 3,000 Russian instructors to train and reinforce CAR's defense and security forces.

It is likely that the attack may be connected to Republic Day in the CAR, which is a national holiday in the country which commemorates the anniversary of becoming an autonomous territory within the French Community in 1958.