In Bangui. A game-changing incident?

(BRUSSELS2 to Bangui) Last Wednesday (15 October), incidents opposed European forces to being attacked by "an armed group". It is not the first time. But this incident has a certain singularity which deserves that we stop there for 5 minutes. The "clashes" continued for several hours, approximately "three hours", between the 8th and 5th arrondissements, on Avenue des Martyrs, one of Bangui's main arteries which notably connects the airport to the rest of the city, near the Ucatex camp where EUFOR is based.

A series of incidents

Everything seems to have started with armed groups, in particular the AK47. This is contrary to the "confidence-building measures" agreed between the various parties (which notably provides for the absence of weapons in the street). The Europeans (Spanish, French) then get out of their vehicles. That's when the firefight begins. European forces retaliate. A little further on, a new incident. This time, it is the Minusca (the United Nations force) which seems to be targeted in an area where anti-balakas are circulating. This is not the first time that United Nations forces have been targeted (*). European vehicles (Georgian, Latvian) are also present. Order is given not to reply. Because it's dark. And there are children, women on the side of the road. The risk of having "collateral damage" is too high. " This is what the anti-Balakas know. Very often they send young people or children forward. says a soldier.

Deadly clashes

General assessment: At least 5 people put out of action » says EUFOR the official press release, . A grenade was thrown on the attacking side. And a soldier (Spanish) was wounded by a fragment of grenade. Minor injury. After some treatment, the soldier was repatriated to Spain on Saturday (October 18). Some of the agitators were arrested, young people entrusted to the local gendarmerie and then to the prosecutor. But the ringleaders are still at large. Among the victims, we will learn later, is one of the gang leaders, a man called "Franco". Which, according to residents whose testimony B2 was able to collect, largely calmed down some of his men. The grigri he was wearing didn't protect him. And his leaderless men are a little clueless.

Ringleaders on the loose...for now

Leaders are spotted and monitored. We spotted three very dangerous guys. We know who they are: we have photos, videos, …“Explains a B2 grader. Those are " those who manipulate young people, often lost, drugged or alcoholic and send them to the fire for a bit. Telephone conversations were traced. The action of stopping them in itself is not difficult. But you have to plan for the aftermath. " It is therefore necessary to understand what they represent among the communities, to have enough legitimacy to stop them. And, also (above all), to prevent the guys, once arrested, from being released the next day. Which wouldn't be good at all ". The European gendarmes are therefore waiting for the right moment. " We are working as hard as we can to understand the situation. When we figure out their real influence, and we have enough cookies to take them to court. we will take action”. At the same time, everyone knows not to hang around. " Time turns. The population suffers »

A revealing incident

This incident, which looks a bit like a " power grab », in the words of a soldier, is closely analyzed by Eufor officials.

The question of who is behind this incident haunts people a little. Political manipulation does not seem entirely absent. Attentive observers thus point to the curious silence of transitional president Alexandre-Ferdinand Nguendet on these incidents.

Another element of reflection. Despite the efforts of the leaders, the population did not follow, it seems. The incident did not produce the expected explosion between the two communities. This could reveal a certain disconnect between the armed groups and the population. To speak of a peaceful atmosphere between the communities would no doubt be highly anticipated and risky. Resentments between "Christians" and "Muslims" still seem to be very present. When we discuss with one or the other, very quickly, come words about the "others" who threaten them.

But there seems to be a slow fatigue among the population in the face of these armed gangs, the "anti-balakas" who are less and less "self-defence militias" and more and more criminal groups seeking to take advantage of their guns to make money. Last Thursday, for example, three armed men showed up at a dispensary located in the block of houses near Ucatex, the EUFOR barracks, " to treat one of their own under the threat of arms... but above all to obtain money according to what one of the nurses present at the time told me. For lack of money, after negotiation, they left...

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

(*) It has even become a Bangui "sport" for a few days. On October 8, a (Pakistani) soldier died and 8 others were injured (including one seriously) near PK 11 and the military transit camp. The following day, 6 MINUSCA police officers were wounded by bullets in the Combatants district of the 8th arrondissement (held by the anti-balakas).