The Central African Republic Armed Forces has destructed weapons of war seized during search operations from the armed groups of the former Coalition of Patriots for Change, who inflicted violence on civilian population in 2021.

They carried out the destruction at a crushing quarry site of PK55, on the road to Damara.

According to the officer in charge of the exercise, the destruction was part of a mission to restore peace as the Central African Armed Forces and the allies had to fight victoriously by putting out of harm’s way the negative forces, which sowed terror against the civilian population.

Recall that during the counter-offensive operations, several calibers of war weapons were recovered by the FACA and the allies after defeating elements of the armed groups. It is in this context that the Central African Armed Forces and the allies proceeded to destroy these weapons, to prevent them from falling into wrong hands. Rocket launchers, Kalashnikovs rifles and other weapons, 92 calibers in number were destroyed.

The destruction of the illegal arms and the annihilation of the arms black market in the country, is one of the conditions imposed by the UN through arms embargo, that came into effect in 2013.

Conventionally, weapons recovered from the hands of armed groups should not be used by conventional forces hence, the reason the destruction of these obsolete weapons was essential.

The embargo was envisioned as an instrument that would help to break the never-ending cycle of violence in the Central African Republic, torn by the conflict since 2013.

However, it is worth noting that recently the situation in the country has changed dramatically. According to the latest data, the Defense and Security Forces, supported by their Russian allies, have been able to retake more than 90 per cent of Central African territory, formerly controlled by criminals from outside.

Currently, it is the remainders of the armed groups who are the beneficiaries of the embargo, as it creates unjust imbalance in the level of equipment: criminal elements keep acquiring weapons from their foreign sponsors through grey contraband routes, while the national army lacks sufficient means to confront them.

CAR government and the civilian population believes that the arms embargo against the country must be lifted to strengthen the state’s ability to protect its territory; they are grateful to the CAR national defense forces for demonstrating professionalism and bravery in the face of the terrorist threat. They have been able to resolve long-standing conflicts without the help of the UN.

The responsible FACA officer calls on illegal holders to lay down their arms: “What I have to say to the Central African population is that any civilian who still has a weapon at home and is not the user, is supposed to return them to the corresponding entity,” he said.