CAR to Rebuild Military in Face of 'Recurring' Militia Attacks

Central African Republic (CAR) president Catherine Samba announced Wednesday plans to build a new government fighting force from the country's shattered military.

“I have decided to create a rapid intervention unit as a means of efficiently protecting the population from recurring deadly attacks,” Samba said, according to Reuters.

Describing “insecurity” as the single most pressing issue facing the war torn African nation, Samba said rebuilding the CAR's armed forces is crucial to national stability.

Samba gave limited details of the planned intervention unit, but she did say personnel will be drawn from what's left of the standing army.

The CAR was thrown into a state of chaos in 2012, when fighting broke out between the government and a coalition of rebel groups, the Seleka. Since then two governments have collapsed, and now Samba is heading a U.N. backed transitional administration. Although Samba has succeeded in restoring some semblance of governance, the country's armed forces remain in a state of disarray.

Security is largely in the hands of U.N. and French so called peacekeepers, though militia violence continues to plague the country.

Since October 12, more than 3000 people have been displaced by a fresh wave of violence that hit the country earlier this month, according to U.N. officials in the CAR cited by U.N. News.

Peacekeepers have clashed with militias aligned with the former Seleka coalition, along with the Seleka's main rivals, the anti-balaka militia.

CAR military officials have complained the army lacks basic arms and suffers from a shortage of ammunition, but Samba dismissed these complaints.

She argued many troops “have weapons and ammunition in their homes,” and called on top brass to take action to reorganize the military and recover munitions.

“When they fled (the) Seleka, where did they put their weapons? Let's be clear, they have arms,” she stated.