Border with DRC closed

The CAR closed its border crossings with the Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC) on Tuesday in an effort to stop the cross-border flow of arms and dissidents, AP reported. Home Affairs Minister Theodore Bicko announced on state television that the border would be closed until further notice. Although Bicko gave no reason, AP noted that the border zone has been tense since a failed coup in late May. An estimated 25,000 CAR citizens fled across the Ubangui River to the DRC town of Zongo to escape retribution for the military uprising, which was lead by former military ruler General Andre Kolingba. News agencies reported that the majority of those who fled were ethnic Yakomas escaping reprisals by loyalist troops searching for mutinous soldiers said to have been led by former president General Andre Kolingba. Kolingba, himself a Yakoma, fled after the attack on the residence of President Ange-Felix Patasse was repulsed by loyalist troops, who were supported by troops sent in from Libya and Jean-Pierre Bemba’s Mouvement pour la liberation du Congo (MLC) rebels from the DRC. His whereabouts are still unknown. Summary executions and attacks against Yakomas by the troops ensued after the putsch, news agencies reported, although the authorities have denied accusations of “ethnic cleansing”. Ongoing rumours of reprisals prompted Prime Minister Martin Ziguele to visit Bangui’s southwestern districts to appeal that citizens “not to yield to panic”. On Wednesday, Ziguele visited the eastern parts of the capital, which bore the brunt of 10 days of fierce fighting that followed the coup, to assure residents the government was committed to restoring peace.