Damara | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 4°58′N18°42′E / 4.967°N 18.700°E | |
Country | Central African Republic |
Prefecture | Ombella-M'Poko |
Government | |
• Mayor | Germaine Mandazou [1] |
Damara is a town located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Ombella-M'Poko. It is located about an hour from the national capital, Bangui. [2]
In March 2013, rebels from the Séléka Coalition (Séléka means "alliance" in the Sango language) overtook a checkpoint in Damara. Part of the 2012-2013 Central African Republic conflict, the rebels claimed that President of the Central African Republic François Bozizé had violated the terms of a January cease-fire agreement. After storming the Damara checkpoint, however, the rebels were prevented from taking Bangui by a helicopter attack. "The helicopter opened fire on the column, forcing it to disperse... The rebels have not reached Bangui," said a senior military analyst quoted by Reuters. [3]
The history of the Central African Republic is roughly composed of four distinct periods. The earliest period of settlement began around 10,000 years ago when nomadic people first began to settle, farm and fish in the region. The next period began around 10,000 years prior.
Bangui is the capital and largest city of the Central African Republic. It was established as a French outpost in 1889 and named after its location on the northern bank of the Ubangi River ; the Ubangi itself was named from the Bobangi word for the "rapids" located beside the settlement, which marked the end of navigable water north from Brazzaville. The majority of the population of the Central African Republic lives in the western parts of the country, in Bangui and the surrounding area.
François Bozizé Yangouvonda is a Central African politician who was President of the Central African Republic from 2003 to 2013. He was also the only Central African president born in modern day Gabon.
Bossembélé is a small town in Yaloke-Bossembele, in the Ombella-M'Poko Prefecture of the Central African Republic, lying 157 miles north west of Bangui on the main road to Cameroon. It is known for its market and its nightlife and is home to a cinema and an airstrip. The Lambi Falls lie near the town.
Boali is a town located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Ombella-M'Poko.
Ippy is a town located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Ouaka, and is located near the geographic center of the country. It is 364 kilometers from the city of Bangui directly. Driving distance, however, is 496 kilometers.
Kouango is a town located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Ouaka.
The Central African Republic Bush War was a civil war in the Central African Republic which lasted from 2004 to 2007 between Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (UFDR) rebels and government forces. The rebellion began after François Bozizé seized the nation's presidency in 2003. Actual fighting began in 2004. Around 10,000 people were displaced because of the civil unrest.
Michel Am-Nondokro Djotodia is a Central African politician who was President of the Central African Republic from 2013 to 2014. He was the first Muslim to hold that office in the predominantly Christian country. Djotodia was a leader of the almost entirely Muslim Séléka rebel coalition in the December 2012 rebellion against President François Bozizé. Following a peace agreement, Djotodia was appointed to the government as First Deputy Prime Minister for National Defense in February 2013. When the peace agreement unravelled, Séléka captured Bangui and Djotodia took power on 24 March 2013. He promised to lead a transition to new elections in which he would not be a candidate, but his time in office was marked by escalating sectarian violence, and he was ultimately pressured into resigning by regional leaders on 10 January 2014.
The Central African Republic Civil War is an ongoing civil war in the Central African Republic (CAR) involving the government, rebels from the Séléka coalition, and Anti-balaka militias.
Séléka CPSK-CPJP-UFDR was an alliance of rebel militia groups that subjugated the Central African Republic (CAR) on 24 March 2013. After its official dissolution in September 2013, the remaining rebel groups became known as Ex-Séléka. Séléka leader Michel Djotodia became the nation's president from March 2013 until his resignation in January 2014. Members of Séléka were almost all Muslim.
An internal conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) started essentially on 13 April 2013, when the government of President Michel Djotodia officially took over. The fighting was between the government of the Central African Republic's former Séléka coalition of rebel groups, who are mainly from the Muslim minority, and the mainly Christian anti-balaka coalition. The conflict was part of the ongoing Central African Republic Civil War (2012–present). International organisations, such as the United Nations, had warned of a possible genocide. UNSC resolution 2122 authorised the African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA) to be deployed to the country, and France to lead operations with additional troops sent to bolster its force in the country. Following a summit of Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC), including the attendance of all the country's MPs, Djotodia resigned from the presidency on 10 January 2014. The National Transitional Council chose Bangui mayor Catherine Samba-Panza as interim president on 20 January 2014. A period of lawlessness prevailed during the early days of her presidency with people moving into religiously cleansed neighbourhoods as the UN warned of a genocide. Anti-Balaka attacks continued against Muslim civilians.
The Anti-balaka is an alliance of militia groups based in the Central African Republic in the early 21st century said to be composed primarily of Christians. However, some church leaders have contested the claimed exclusively Christian character of such groups. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation and journalist Andrew Katz have noted that animists also participate in Anti-balaka groups.
European Union Force RCA, commonly referred as EUFOR RCA, is the United Nations-mandated European Union peacekeeping mission in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. The goal of the mission is to stabilize the area after more than a year of internal conflict. Agreement about the mission was reached in January 2014, and the first operations started at the end of April. The mission ended its mandate after nearly a year on 15 March 2015.
Operation Sangaris was a military intervention of the French military in the Central African Republic, from late 2013 till 2016. It was the seventh French military intervention there since the independence of the country in 1960. On 30 October 2016, France announced it officially ended Operation Sangaris.
The following lists events that happened during 2013 in the Central African Republic.
Ndjoukou is a sub-prefecture of Kémo in the Central African Republic.
The Battle of Bangui occurred in March 2013, during the ongoing Central African Republic Civil War, and resulted in Séléka taking power in the Central African Republic. With the Central African Armed Forces and international soldiers absent, most of the resistance was raised by South African soldiers.
Moyenne-Sido is a locality in the prefecture of Ouham, in the Central African Republic.
On 12 August 2016 35 ex-Séléka fighters escaped besieged PK5 district in Bangui and after travelling more than 600 km and clashing multiple times with security forces some of them managed to reach rebel-controlled towns of Kaga-Bandoro and N'Délé, some were killed and 11 were arrested and sentenced to life in prison.
4°58′N18°42′E / 4.967°N 18.700°E