Russia has been authorized to provide the Central African Republic (CAR)’s armed forces with light arms, under an exemption to an arms embargo on the country granted by the UN, diplomatic sources said Friday.

“It’s clear,” an official said on condition of anonymity.

London, Paris and Washington had asked that the request be put on hold as they sought additional information on the shipments.

They also called on Russia to strengthen measures related to the storage of the weapons in the Central African Republic, which has been under an arms embargo since 2013.

“Our only request was that the Russian delegation submit additional information on the serial numbers of the weapons… so that we can track weapons going into CAR,” said a US official.

“We think it is a reasonable request and underscores the importance of coordinating the physical protection, control, safe storage and management of transferred arms and ammunition.”

The Central African Republic’s leaders asked Russia several months ago to provide weapons for units being formed by the EU.

Moscow wants to equip two battalions totaling 1,300 men. Among the weapons to be shipped are 900 pistols, 5,200 assault rifles, 140 sniper rifles, 840 Kalashnikov machine guns, 270 RPGs and 20 anti-aircraft guns.

France blocked a previous request last month over concerns about the storage of the weapons in the volatile country, a council diplomat said.

In response, Russia promised reinforced security for warehouses and that it would stagger future deliveries. The first delivery is due next week, with two more on February 1 and April 1.

It also wants to train troops on use of the weapons, another proposal subject to the UN’s green light.

In the long term, the UN’s peacekeeping forces in the Central African Republic must be replaced by the country’s own armed forces.

The Central African Republic has faced instability since it exploded into violence after the 2013 overthrow of longtime leader Francois Bozize by the Seleka alliance.

(Source: AFP)

President Biya has secretly ordered all combat troops to be withdrawn from Manyu Division, Cameroon Concord News has learned from a well-placed official in Yaoundé. Biya informed the supreme command of the Cameroon armed forces earlier today Friday to end all military operations in the Manyu constituency which is one of the most divisive conflicts in Cameroon history.

The military leadership that travelled to Mamfe hinted some of the soldiers today that they will soon be leaving Manyu.  “After nearly two weeks, Biya regime’s war in Southern Cameroons will be over” our source said.

The withdrawal of the predominantly Francophone troops marks a turning point in the Yaoundé regime crackdown that started in 2016 and resulted in the creation of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia.

Biya, eyeing a 2018 re-election campaign likely to be fought over his handling of the Anglophone crisis and the economy is looking to wind down the one year old Southern Cameroons crisis that has done lasting damage to Biya’s image worldwide and stretched Cameroon military and budget to the brink.

Etoudi has been briefed of the military casualties and French speaking Cameroonians are beginning to question the wisdom behind a military solution to the Anglophone problem. Biya intends to use the traditional chiefs and reduce the military role to security in a territory where levels of violence has risen sharply and attacks on state institutions remain a daily occurrence.

Almost 85 Cameroon soldiers have died and the Manyu deployment has cost Cameroon taxpayers over 3 billion FCFA in military spending alone. Even as Anglophone political elites including those in the army seek to distance themselves from Yaoundé on the genocide in Anglophone Cameroon, Southern Cameroons will never get to its feet after the ferocious violence that has shattered its society and killed hundreds of people.

By Rita Akana in Yaounde

Source: Reuters