Central African Republic Bush War | |||||||
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The town of Birao in northern CAR which was largely burnt down during fighting in 2007 |
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Belligerents | |||||||
Rebels: ...and others
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Central African Republic Chad MINURCAT MICOPAX (CEEAC) |
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Michel Djotodia (UFDR, GAPLC) Abakar Sabon (MLCJ) Justin Hassane (FDC) |
François Bozizé Idriss Déby José Victor da Silva Ângelo |
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Strength | |||||||
150+ | 4,500+ | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Civilian casualties: Hundreds killed, 212,000 displaced |
Rebels:
The Central African Republic Bush War was a civil war in the Central African Republic between Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (UFDR) rebels and government forces. The rebellion began after François Bozizé seized the nation's presidency in 2003. Actual fighting began in 2004. Around 10,000 people were displaced because of the civil unrest.
The rebellion consisted of multiple rebel groups, several of which were of very small size and founded only towards the end of the conflict. Apart from the UFDR, the conflict included the People's Army for the Restoration of Democracy (CAR) (APRD), Groupe d'action patriotique pour la liberation de Centrafrique (GAPLC), the Movement of Central African Liberators for Justice (MLCJ), the Front démocratique Centrafricain (FDC), and Union of Republican Forces (UFR).
A number of peace agreements has been signed to resolve the conflict between 2007 and 2012. The most important agreement, the Global Peace Accord (signed in Libreville, Gabon on 21 June 2008), was first signed by the ARPD, UFDR, and FDPC groups. The agreement granted amnesty for any acts perpetrated against the state prior to the agreement, and called for a disarmament and demobilization process to integrate former rebels into society and the regular CAR armed forces.
Other rebel groups signed on to the agreement later, or signed similar agreements with the government (e.g. UFR on 15 December 2008). The only major group not to sign an agreement at the time was the CPJP, which continued its activities and signed a peace agreement with the government on 25 August 2012.
In November 2004, at least 20 people were killed in a raid on the remote town of Birao in the north-east of the Central African Republic.
Thousands of people marched into the capital of the CAR, Bangui, on November 8, and pleaded for the government's troops to confront the UFDR. Twenty members of the government were killed, and only three of the rebels died in this attack.