Peacekeepers arrested in Central African Republic

FOUR members of the French Foreign Legion have been arrested in the Central African Republic amid claims they were part of a plot to assassinate the president while on UN peacekeeping duties.

The “heavily armed” soldiers from France, Italy, Romania and Bulgaria were detained outside Bangui airport on Monday evening while travelling in an unmarked car and wearing camouflage, the public prosecutor said.

Both the French army and the UN maintain that the men had been providing an escort to France’s Gen Stephane Marchenoir, head of the beleaguered Minusca peacekeeping force.

But rumours instantly circulated on social media saying the soldiers had planned to “assassinate” Faustin Archange Touadera, the republic’s president, whose motorcade was to pass the airport near the capital.

The reason for the arrests is unclear but Russia, which commands huge influence in the war-torn nation, has a history of launching online campaigns to undermine France in the country.

The arrests coincide with French and US allegations at the UN Security Council on Tuesday that “mercenaries” from the Kremlin-linked Wagner group killed dozens of innocent civilians in the Central African Republic last month, targeting mainly Muslim communities in their military operations.

Russian mercenaries have been operating in the country under the guise of “unarmed instructors”. In reality, they participate in fighting and act as a personal bodyguard to the president.

Yesterday, Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, “strongly condemned” the peacekeepers’ arrests.