Actualités of Monday, 24 February 2014

Source: Cameroon Tribune

Foreign Militants Warn of Sectarian Conflict

Al-Qaeda and the Taliban say the world should act fast to end the Christian-on-Moslem violence.

Christian-on-Moslem violence in the Central African Republic, CAR, appears to know no let-up as two Moslem civilians were lynched in the capital, Bangui on February 22, 2014, Radio France Internationale, RFI reported.

Reports said they were shot dead after being removed from a taxi near Bangui M'Poko International Airport. Their bodies, that had bullet and machete wounds, were about to be desecrated when French peacekeepers from a nearby checkpoint intervened to disperse the rampaging crowd. Reacting to the growing sectarian violence, UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon called for the placement of all foreign peacekeepers under a command for better coordination.

The Afghan Taliban on February 22, 2014, called for the world to act fast to end attacks against CAR's Moslems by the anti-Balaka Christian militia, The Times of Israel said. The Taliban condemned the "merciless killings of Muslims at the hands of blood-thirsty militias as the world sits idly by."

It warned that the situation threatens the peaceful coexistence of Muslims and Christians throughout Africa and urged the international community - including the Pope - to stop the bloodshed. Shortly after the Taliban statement, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM, also condemned the "ethnic and sectarian cleansing" in Central African Republic, blaming the West for "fomenting" the conflict. According to the Washington-based SITE Intelligence Group that monitors jihadist websites, AQIM urged Muslims not to remain silent about the events.

The Organisation of the Islamic Conference, OIC, last week agreed to send a high-level fact-finding mission to CAR with the possibility of appointing a special representative to coordinate peace efforts with the African Union and the UN.