US flies Burundian troops to Central African Republic

The US military flew Thursday the first batch of troops from Burundi to join an African Union force to restore security in the Central African Republic, the army said. "The first U.S. aircraft to transport the Burundian contingent to Bangui arrived this morning," said Lieutenant-Colonel Potien Hakizimana, commander of the 850-strong Burundi battalion going to CAR. The troops are joining the AU and French efforts to restore security in the troubled nation. "Our mission includes ensuring the disarmament of militia forces, securing the population and property, and help restore authority over the entire country," Hakizimana added. Burundi army spokesman Gaspard Baratuza said two U.S. transport airplanes will carry the full contingent to CAR's capital Bangui over the next four days. Burundi, a small nation in central Africa's Great Lakes region, emerged out of its own bitter 13-year long civil war in 2006. It has deployed some 5,500 troops to Somalia as part of an AU force fighting Islamist insurgents there, while another 450 men are to join AU forces in Mali. "If we are asked to send additional troops to Central Africa, Burundi is ready to consider the request and respond," Baratuza added. The AU force in CAR -- known as MISCA -- is due to be 6,000 strong at full strength, working alongside some 1,600 French troops. Burundian troops are expected to be deployed to eastern CAR, a lawless area where marauding Ugandan-led Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels operate.