The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has announced that peacekeepers will be on the offensive against Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels whose fighters committed atrocities in the east of the country.
Speaking in Bangui , MUNISCA spokesperson, Colonel Adolphe Manirakiza said the UN mission’s original undertaking is not to fight LRA rebels but this is set to change since they have been attacking civilian populations in both Central Africa Republic and Congo.
He said MINUSCA are being prompted to defend civilians against those plundering, raping, burning their houses and taking them hostage.
MINUSCA has thus redeployed its personnel in the main cities of CAR’s prefectures of Haut Mboumou in the far east, Mbomou in the east and Haute Kotto in the north-east.
To properly expedite the mission, its 12,000-strong force in CAR must be strengthened by the arrival of other contingents after the departure of DRC soldiers. Reports say that Mauritanian and Egyptian contingents will fill the gap
