Central African War

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Central African War

Map of the conflict (click for caption)

Date	November 2006– ongoing
Location	Central African Republic, Eastern Chad, Darfur
Result	Ongoing

Combatants

Sudan-backed rebels:
Chad rebels
UFDR rebels
Janjaweed

Central African Republic

Chad

France

Commanders

Many

Francois Bozize
Idriss Deby

The Central African War (or the Sahel War) is a military conflict in Central Africa which involves Chad, Sudan, and the Central African Republic (CAR). The conflict may signal the increasing merge and spread of the Darfur conflict in Sudan, onto rebellions in Chad and in the CAR. In November 2006, the CAR accused Sudan of backing Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (UDFR) rebel attacks and increasing advancement in northern CAR which borders Darfur. ^[1] Chad, which in December 2005 declared a "state of belligerency" with Sudan leading to the Chadian-Sudanese conflict, offered troops to assist the CAR government.^[2] Both Chad and the CAR have accused Sudan of supporting rebels who aim at ousting their respective governments. ^[3]

[edit] Chadian-Sudanese conflict and the CAR Civil War

Main articles: Chadian-Sudanese conflict, Central African Republic Civil War, and Darfur conflict

Throughout early November, the UFDR rebels advanced in northern CAR, gaining more territory while facing little opposition. On November 12, the UFDR, which CAR accuses of being armed by Sudan, a claim denied by Sudan, announced they had captured a third northern town.^[4]

On November 14, France, the traditional backer of the CAR government, offered the CAR military assistance in the form of logistics and aerial reconnaissance. France already has a regular 200-soldier contingent in the CAR whose strength is comprabale to the CAR's ill-equipped 5,000-soldier army.^[5] On that day, the UDFR announced that they had suspended military activities in favour of negotiations. ^[6]

The UFDR denounced the French backing of CAR President François Bozizé, who seized power in a 2003 coup and had retained the presidency following a controversial general election in 2005,^[7] stating that "we want to sit down at a table to discuss the nation's problems." This call was, however, rejected by the CAR government who maintained the UFDR are driven by "personal, egotistical interests." ^[8] Some analysts have accused the CAR government of using the Darfur conflict to deflect criticisms of its own internal problems. ^[9]

On November 17, Chad's parliament approved troop deployment to the CAR. ^[10] The CAR government appealed to the United Nations to send troops,^[11] and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for the attacks in CAR's border with Darfur to end. ^[12] Chad's decision to deploy troops to the CAR came as hopes for deal with Sudan over peacekeeping forces in Darfur proved premature. ^[13]^[14]

On November 28, a Chadian government spokesman said his nation was in "a state of war" with Sudan after a Chadian rebel group said it shot down a government plane. The government spokesman, Hourmadji Moussa Doumgor, said the Chadian military reconnaissance plane was shot down in eastern Chad on Tuesday, and a rebel group claimed responsibility. Doumgor blamed neighboring Sudan for backing the rebels.^[15]

On December 14, Chad announced it had killed two rebel military chiefs, and moved its forces into Sudan. [1] The same day, France admitted having performed air raids against UFDR positions since the beginning of December, employing Mirage F1 fighters and helicopter gunships, and including an attack on the UFDR-controlled town of Birao. French Defence Ministry spokesman said the action was "in line with international calls to stabilise of the region". UFDR reports claim that the raids had a devastating effect on civilian population. [2].