AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - “The fight was with poachers not Sudanese guerrillas” local sources told Fides commenting an army intervention in which 16 people were killed after an attack on a village a hundred kilometres from the Sudanese border

Bangui (Fides Service) -“Local media and government authorities say it was a battle with poachers, not Sudan guerrilla groups” said local Church sources in the Central African Republic where on Friday 19 November 16 people were killed in an attack on the town of Birao, less than 100 km from the border with Sudan (news of the attack was only heard on Sunday 21 November). According to the Central African authorities a group of armed men from Sudan attacked Birao during the night. Security forces intervened and one government solider and 14 assailants were killed in the ensuing violence
“At first it was said that the attackers, about twenty, were members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army the main guerrilla group in Sudan. Now the media and the authorities attribute the attack to a gang of poachers” the sources told Fides. “In this area poachers hunt elephants in order to sell the ivory tusks illegally. It is obvious that these groups become an extra factor of destabilisation if they now attack villages” our sources said.
The Central African Republic is in a state of transition since March 15, 2003 when troops led by the now President Bozize captured Bangui, after months of fighting with troops loyal to Ange-Felix Patasse, forced to flee the country. After taking Bangui, Bozize became President ad interim. A transition government led by Abel Goumba was formed on 7 April 2003. The executive is formed of 28 members representing all the political parties. Presidential and legislative elections should be held in 2005. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 22/11/2004 righe 29 parole 365)