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Rwanda has deployed what is called a “protection force” in the Central African Republic (CAR) after its peacekeepers were attacked by rebels advancing on the capital, Bangui.
The governments of Rwanda and the Central African Republic have accused former President François Bozizé of supporting the rebels and planning a coup, which he has denied.
UN peacekeepers have said the rebel advance has stopped.
Bozizé has been excluded from the presidential elections scheduled for Sunday.
Russia has also sent “several hundred soldiers and heavy weapons” to the country to support the government, the AFP news agency said, citing a spokesman for the Central African Republic government.
The spokesperson, Ange Maxime Kazagui, said that the Russian forces were invited as part of bilateral agreements, reports AFP.
The Russian government has not confirmed these reports.
“The Rwandans have also sent several hundred men who are on the ground and have started fighting,” added Kazagui.
The number of additional Rwandan soldiers deployed has not been provided, but the Defense Ministry said the operation was carried out “under existing bilateral agreements” with the Central African Republic.
At least 750 Rwandan soldiers and police have been operating under the UN peacekeeping force Minusca.
Minusca forces have also deployed beyond Bangui “to block armed elements,” AFP said, citing a UN spokesman.
President Faustin Archange Touadéra has insisted that Sunday’s elections will go ahead, saying that the presence of the army and UN peacekeepers means the people have nothing to fear.
But opposition parties, including Mr. Bozizé’s, have called for the vote to be postponed “until the restoration of peace and security.”
Rebel groups have seized several cities near the Central African Republic’s capital, clashing with government forces and looting property, and the UN said its troops were working to prevent a blockade of Bangui.
Bozizé spokesman Christian Guenebem said: “We categorically deny that Bozizé is at the origin of anything.”
The Central African Republic is one of the poorest and most unstable countries in Africa, although it is rich in resources such as diamonds and uranium. The UN estimates that half of the population depends on humanitarian assistance and up to a fifth have been displaced.
On December 3, the Constitutional Court of the Central African Republic ruled that Mr. Bozizé did not meet the “good morals” requirement for candidates due to an international order and UN sanctions against him for alleged killings, torture and other crimes during his government.
Who are the key players in this crisis?
Bozizé, a Christian, came to power after a coup in 2003 and subsequently won two elections that were widely viewed as fraudulent. He was toppled in 2013 by the Séléka, a rebel coalition made up largely of the Muslim minority, which accused him of breaking the peace accords.
Since then, the country has been embroiled in a conflict between the Séléka and the so-called “anti-Balaka” self-defense forces, which are mainly Christian.
Following the military intervention of France, the country’s former colonial ruler, elections were held in 2016 and President Touadéra, who is currently seeking reelection, won.
But fighting between the militias has continued, and the UN has blamed rebel groups for the instability of the country.
Bozizé, 74, returned to the Central African Republic in December 2019 after living in exile for six years in Benin, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He announced in July that he would run for the December 27 elections, a move that was considered high risk given the persistent civil unrest in the country, but not unexpected.
Mr. Bozizé still has a large following, especially in the military and among the country’s largest ethnic group, the Gbaya.
But he faces UN sanctions for his alleged support for “anti-Balaka” groups in 2013. Central African Republic authorities have also issued an arrest warrant against him for “crimes against humanity and incitement to genocide.”
What is the threat now?
On Saturday, the three main rebel groups announced that they had formed an alliance called the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CCP) and accused President Touadéra of trying to manipulate the upcoming elections.
In a statement, the CCP invited “all other groups to join” and called on members to “scrupulously respect the integrity of the civilian population.”
As the election campaign heats up, Facebook said last week it had identified rival disinformation campaigns to influence the vote, devised by individuals with ties to the French military and prominent Russian businessman Yevgeniy Prigozhin.
Moscow has developed close ties in recent years with the Central African Republic. There are currently Russian military advisers in the country to help train government forces.
Reports by UN investigators, the US military and journalists have also documented the activity in the country of the Wagner Group, a private military company allegedly owned by Mr. Prigozhin.
