Cameroon Deploys Troops To CAR Border To Stop Abductions

Cameroon’s military has deployed hundreds of troops to its eastern border with the Central African Republic after CAR rebels this month abducted at least 35 people. The military says the rebels are targeting merchants, farmers, and ranchers and stealing money and cattle.

Cameroon’s military says scores of troops on Monday raided villages and forests on its eastern border with the Central African Republic to free civilians held captive by CAR rebels.

Speaking via a messaging application, Colonel Dominique Njoka says he led troops on the rescue mission in Mbere, a border administrative unit, where rebels were holding hostages.

Njoka said some of the rebels escaped across the porous border while others are still hiding in forests in Cameroon.

He said they deployed hundreds of troops to the area to flush out the rebels, who have abducted at least 35 civilians in Cameroon in the past three weeks.

CAR authorities say since March fighting with rebels has increased.The U.N. peacekeeping mission to the CAR, MINUSCA, last week said rebels pushed out of several towns were hiding on the border with Cameroon.

MINUSCA said the CAR rebels were fighting to control border towns, including Bambari and Alindao.

Authorities say the rebels are crossing the border to escape fighting with the CAR’s military and to steal and abduct for ransom.

The Central African Republic descended into violence in 2013 when then President Francois Bozize was ousted by the Séléka, a coalition from the Muslim minority that accused him of breaking peace deals.