Central African PM seeks French, African help to secure country

Central African Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye has appealed for the help of France and of a regional African force to help secure the country following violence in the wake of the rebel takeover last month. In a radio-television address late Tuesday, Tiangaye made the appeal to France and the multinational African peacekeeping force, Fomac, after around 20 people were killed at the weekend in Bangui amid clashes between former rebels and residents. "Faced with this grave situation, I appeal for the support of... Fomac and France, as impartial forces, to lead security operations in the city of Bangui and all the regions of our country," he said. France has expressed concern over recent events in its former African colony. Tiangaye, who is from the former political opposition to overthrown president Francois Bozize, said many families have experienced loss of life and "looting of all kinds." "These facts undermine the social fabric and tend to break the pact of national unity engraved in our motto," he said. The Seleka rebel coalition that seized power in Bangui on March 24 after Bozize fled have been trying to establish order in the capital where many residents live in fear of looting and other violence. On Tuesday, the new interim president Michel Djotodia, the head of Seleka, announced one thousand reinforcements for the police forces. The spokesman of the government, Crepin Mboli-Goumba, has called on Central Africa's neighbouring countries to send a thousand troops to help re-establish order in the country. The issue was expected to be debated at a summit in N'Djamena, Chad on Thursday focused on the situation in the Central African Republic.