Chadian president: More soldiers needed for Central African Republic security

Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno on Thursday said the Central African Multinational Force (FOMAC) does not have sufficient soldiers to provide security.At he opening of an extraordinary summit of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in the Chadian capital N'Djamena, the president FOMAC is currently operating with 500 soldiers in Central African Republic."Central African Republic is like a wound at the heart of the Central Africa region. Despite all the prescriptions that have been proposed to end the country's political crisis, the wound is not getting healed. I believe that we must now come together to finally put to an end this situation of insecurity in that country, " Deby, the ECCAS chairman, told the summit.The ECCAS, which is composed of Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sao Tome and Principe and Chad, deployed a peacekeeping force in Central African Republic about 10 years ago.The number of soldiers rose to 500 at the height of the conflict between the Seleka rebel coalition and the regime of deposed President Francois Bozize. The redline that had been established by the FOMAC soldiers helped to prevent the rebels from crossing over to Bangui, before they finally seized the capital on March 24.Insecurity has since been reported in Bangui and other towns in Central African Republic. Looting, murder and bloody clashes among the Seleka rebels themselves and between Seleka fighters and other groups have been witnessed.A bloody confrontation occurred last week-end in Bangui's Boy Rabe district, which is considered a stronghold of a militia allied to the former regime. At least 10 people dead in the clash.Deby said all the recommendations that were made during the ECCAS summit held on April 3 in N'Djamena were accepted by the people of Central African Republic.Thursday's summit is to "seek for solutions that can be achieved in the short-term to resolve the insecurity problem," according to a document obtained at the meeting.The official delegation from Bangui includes Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye and Speaker of the National Transitional Council (NTC) Alexandre Nguendet. Michel Djotodia, the self-proclaimed president before being elected later by the NTC, is absent.The Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso and his Gabonese counterpart Ali Bongo are present at the summit. Cameroon is represented by Deputy Prime Minister Amadou Ali.The summit also invited South African President Jacob Zuma and Beninese President Boni Yayi, whose countries are not members of the ECCAS.