French Peacekeeping Operations in the Central African Republic

Insecurity has persisted in the Central African Republic since current President Michel Djotodia and his Seleka rebel alliance overthrew the government of former President Francois Bozize in March. In the capital of Bangui, recent confrontations between Bozize loyalists and rebel factions still seeking government control have forced thousands of displaced civilians to congregate around French peacekeeping troops at the international airport in search of protection.

On Aug. 27, fighting broke out in the Boy-Rabe neighborhood in northern Bangui, a district inhabited primarily by Bozize supporters. According to reports, gunfire was heard and houses were burned, forcing several thousand residents to flee to the French-protected Bangui M'Poko International Airport in search of refuge or in hopes of leaving the country altogether. Eventually, civilians fleeing clashes in the nearby Boeing neighborhood began flocking to the airport as well. However, while France's troops have been deployed to deliver logistical and training support to the contingent of African peacekeepers also in Bangui, the French do not have a mandate to ensure order or restore stability.

By Aug. 28, the crowd had reportedly swelled to between 5,000 and 6,000 people. With the 400 French troops stationed at the airport unwilling to offer protection (consistent with their mandate), some of the displaced blocked the runway, forcing all incoming flights to be diverted to Cameroon, and began throwing rocks at French troops, forcing local authorities to intervene with water cannons and tear gas. Nonetheless, the majority of the crowd, consisting mostly of women and children, remained at the airport, continuing to disrupt air traffic. By Aug. 30, most of the crowd had been evacuated from the airport by French and African peacekeepers, and the airport itself has reopened, though many of the civilians continue to protest nearby. As in other former French colonies, French troops are deployed in Central African Republic to protect France's security interests. However, only a small peacekeeping force is present in the country, and the French are unable and unwilling to impose stability in Bangui. These constraints, combined with the inability of Djotodia to control the various Seleka militias, could lead to an international evacuation and could further erode security in the capital.

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