Central African Republic gov’t says forces killed 44 rebels

The government has said that the troops of the Central African Republic have killed 44 rebel fighters in the push to enclose the capital Bangui to overcome the new president, Faustin Archange Touadera. 

When the government says “allies,” it typically refers to Rwandan troops and Russian paramilitaries, sent into the country in conflict to strengthen federal troops. “Government forces have returned to the offensive,” the spokesperson of the AFP government Ange-Maxime Kazagui said. 

He added that the troops captured Boda village, 124 kilometres from Bangui and backed by Russian combatants. 

A week before the December 27 presidential elections Rebels running about two-thirds of the country launched an offensive aimed at blocking Bangui and carrying out multiple attacks on main national highways. In December, the six largest armed groups in the world joined forces to form the Patriots of Change Coalition (CPC). 

The capital, however, was secured by the UN peacekeepers from the MINUSCA mission, well equipped, 12,000-strong, CAR troops and Russian and Rwandan reinforcement. On Thursday, in an attempt to drive the rebels back, the government declared an emergency of 15 days. 

The government announced Monday that the attack had been successful is the first time that authorities made such a detailed declaration on casualties among any other force than the United Nations peacekeepers.  The UN cautioned about the rebels attempting to “strangle” the city by cutting off the three main roads.

Inputs with Al Jazeera and news agencies