France ships 1,400 assault rifles to Central Africa army

France yesterday handed over 1,400 AK-47 assault rifles and three amphibious vehicles to the Central African Republic to shore up its beleaguered armed forces. French Defence Minister Florence Parly oversaw the handover at a ceremony at M’Polo military base in the capital Bangui. The military aid was announced in Paris in November, along with 24mn euros ($27.4mn) in civilian assistance. One of the world’s poorest nations, the CAR has struggled to recover from a 2013 civil war that erupted when President Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by Seleka rebels.