Rumors have surfaced on social media that the military wanted to assassinate Central African President Fosten-Arcange Tuadera, whose convoy was to pass through the same place where they were.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said yesterday that the four soldiers of the French Foreign Legion detained in the Central African Republic (CAR), including a Bulgarian, should be released immediately, AFP reported.
The four soldiers have French, Italian, Romanian and Bulgarian citizenship, respectively, and are part of the UN mission in the CAR. “These members of the UN mission in the CAR enjoy the privileges and immunities accorded to them in the interest of the UN,” Guterres said, stressing that the UN-CAR procedure should be followed in the event of a conflict. suspicion of wrongdoing was not observed.
In a statement, the UN Secretary-General called on the CAR government to fulfill all its obligations under international law and to release servicemen immediately and unconditionally.
Earlier this week, the French General Staff expressed optimism that the soldiers would be released soon. The CAR authorities launched an investigation into the detention of the soldiers yesterday.
The four servicemen were arrested at Bangui airport while escorting a French general with senior positions in the UN mission in the CAR.
The incident comes in the context of France’s deteriorating relations with its former colony and a fierce war for Russia’s influence, which France accuses of an anti-French campaign in the country.
There have been rumors on social media that the military wanted to assassinate Central African President Fosten-Arkanj Tuadera, whose convoy was to pass through the same place as they were.
