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the central african republic's most
powerful rebel groups have formed an
unlikely alliance against the government
they've captured large parts of the
country and are threatening to take the
capital
bongi nearly a quarter of a million
people have been displaced
by fighting since december aid agencies
warn
they're struggling to help those
affected this is
what you need to know about the
unfolding crisis
in the car
this is a country already reeling from
years of
war and instability it all started in
2013 when a coalition
of mostly muslim armed groups called the
seleka
marched on bongi president francois
bosai who took power
in a coup 10 years earlier was pushed
out
the seleka was soon accused of brutality
shortly after the coup mostly christian
militia groups called antibalaca
took up arms and the country descended
into civil war
in 2014 a united nations peacekeeping
mission called monusca
was formed to stop the fighting and
eventually in 2019 an elected government
led by faustan akhon tuadera
signed a peace deal with the armed
groups
now in a surprising twist some of the
rival christian and muslim militia
now find themselves allied against this
government
deposed former president basis is
accused of leading them
which he denies days before current
president tuadera sought
re-election in december the new
coalition launched a
military campaign vowing to block the
polls
they've now taken over much of the
country
control over gold and diamond mines
allows them to maintain
fighters and stay armed elections did
take place
after christmas and president tuadera
won the vote
but it's the people of the syria yet
again
paying the price as the men with guns
fight
for power before this
latest crisis more than a million
central africans
were displaced by years of conflict
and now over 70 000 people have boarded
canoes
crossing the ubangi river which
separates the cia
and the democratic republic of congo
control of the car's capital is vital
the rebels have tried to attack it but
have been repelled
by a coalition of u.n peacekeepers
russian soldiers
and mercenaries as well as rwandan
troops
so their strategy now is to block food
medicine and humanitarian aid
from reaching fungi goods are
disappearing
from markets and shops a kilogram of
flour
now costs a hundred dollars
when i was in the car in 2018 the
government was still
trying to hammer out the final details
of the peace deal
but back then like now it doesn't have
much authority over the country they
could not enforce the agreement
and it seems to have quickly collapsed
this is a story many hope can change
a country with vast natural wealth like
gold and diamonds
but one where the people are tormented
by endless conflict
the armed groups and foreign interests
motivated by these resources
continue to win the day
you