Central African Republic government troops, backed by French forces, have launched an offensive against rebels who had captured several north-eastern towns, the government and the French military said on Tuesday.
The government in Bangui said its troops had retaken one town, Birao, which had been in rebel hands since October 30.
But a rebel commander said his fighters were still battling French-backed government forces on Tuesday in Birao. He said his men were under fire from French planes and helicopters.
”There is fighting in the town … they are firing at us now,” Commander Yao of the rebel Union of Democratic Forces for Unity, told Reuters by satellite phone. He only gave his last name.
He said the government troops had captured the airstrip with French help but said his fighters still controlled Birao, which is the main town of the remote, rugged Vakaga prefecture and is located 800km north-east of the capital, Bangui.
The rebel commander said French Jaguar aircraft and French helicopters were bombarding his positions.
There was no independent confirmation of this.
Earlier in Paris, French armed forces spokesperson Christophe Prazuck said French troops fired in self defence during the operation on Monday that recaptured the airstrip at Birao.
”The Central African Republic defence minister has announced the retaking of Birao airport in an operation where we were present,” Prazuck told reporters.
French led intelligence ops
He said a French military transport plane flew the Central African Republic troops up to Birao. French troops led an intelligence operation to ensure the Birao airstrip was safe before the troops disembarked, Prazuck added.
”During this operation, the troops were attacked and retaliated. So French troops shot in self defence at rebels who were attacking them,” he said.
He said no French soldiers were injured.
After seizing Birao on October 30, the UFDR rebels, who have demanded that Central African Republic President Francois Bozize agree to power-sharing talks, captured other north-eastern towns and began advancing south and west.
Bozize, who accused neighbouring Sudan of backing the rebels, appealed to former colonial power France and regional African allies for military assistance.
France said it would reinforce its small military contingent in Central African Republic and provide logistical and intelligence support to the government armed forces.
Chad and the regional central African group Cemac also said they were sending military reinforcements.
The governments of Central African Republic and Chad have both accused Sudan of backing raids across their frontiers by rebels from the violence-torn western Sudanese region of Darfur.
Khartoum repeatedly denies this but has refused to allow UN peacekeepers to be deployed in Darfur. – Reuters