UN warns of alarming humanitarian situation in Central African Republic

Four weeks before the UN is scheduled to take over the peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, the organization reports continued sectarian violence all across the country, RIA Novosti reported.

“Sectarian violence and the cycle of violent attacks and reprisals continue in many places in the country,” the Head of the UN Mission in the Central African Republic, Babacar Gaye told the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

As examples, Gaye told the Council that “twenty six people were killed,” including two African Union peacekeepers, “in Batangafo on July 31 and subsequent reprisal attacks. In Mbres, 38 people were killed due to sectarian violence.”

The UN envoy also stressed that a huge number of citizens are in need of humanitarian assistance.

“Two and a half million people, over half of the population of the Central African Republic, are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. These needs are exacerbated by the precarious conditions and extreme vulnerability of the population. Immediate and sustained support for humanitarian operations remains therefore of the utmost urgency,” Gaye said.

The UN is set to become responsible for peacekeeping in the Central African Republic on September 15, replacing the African Union force which is currently in the country.

Earlier, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recommended deploying 10,000 servicemen and over 1.8 policemen to CAR in order to reestablish order in the country. Around two thousand French troops and six thousand African peacekeepers are currently helping to maintain security in the republic.