Central African Republic: Thousands displaced by post-election violence

The Central African Republic is holding presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday. The UN has warned that ongoing violence in the country threatens citizens' security and their right to vote.

Despite threats against voting offices and polling places, the Central African Republic's election authority has said Sunday's vote will go ahead. DW spoke with Mankeur Ndiaye, the UN's special envoy for CAR.

Rebels attacked polling stations following presidential elections on Sunday. Meanwhile, officials found that over 14% of voting centers did not operate after attacks on voters and poll staffers.

Faustin-Archange Touadera won a second term in an election that took place against a backdrop of violence by rebel groups. An investigation has been launched into former president Bozize, who has been accused of a coup.

The armed conflict in the Central African Republic is heating up after the elections. Rebels took control of the city of Bangassou over the weekend. The government accuses former President Bozize of plotting a coup.

Some 32,000 residents have fled the Central African Republic into adjacent countries, says the UN's refugee agency. The exodus follows opposition complaints over "numerous irregularities" in last month's election.

The government declared a 15 day state of emergency after rebels attempted to blockade the capital. The country's UN envoy has also urged for more peacekeepers to be deployed.

According to analysts, by handing over a militia leader to the International Criminal Court, CAR's president, Faustin-Archange Touadera, has sent a clear signal to the rebels that they cannot expect impunity.

Amid an uptick in rebel violence in the Central African Republic, FRANCE 24 takes you to the border with neighbouring Cameroon, where thousands of people are fleeing the insecurity. Also, with the majority of Covid-19 vaccine doses going to the wealthiest counties, South Africa is urging them not to hoard shots. We examine how "vaccine nationalism" is harming African nations. And Kenya rushes to save a species of endangered antelope. Fewer than 100 mountain bongo now live in the wild, with one wildlife conservancy leading the effort to re-populate them.

Thousands of people have been forced from their homes in the Central African Republic due to rebel forces taking over towns. The United Nations refugee agency says that at least 60,000 people have already fled to neighbouring countries, with some 5,000 of them crossing over to Cameroon. Army forces there are now patrolling the lengthy border in a bid to push back any attempts by rebels to get through. Our correspondents Tony Menga, Regina Sondo, Michel Mvondo and Simon Batoum report from eastern Cameroon, where locals are also worried about the violence across the border.

Nearly half of those fleeing crossed over into the Democratic Republic of Congo. The national army has been battling rebels since a presidential vote took place in December.

Our correspondents take you to the Central African Republic, where a territorial gain by government forces means a vital lifeline for the country with neighbouring Cameroon could soon reopen. We also take you inside the lab that discovered the South African variant of the SARS-CoV2 coronavirus. We end in DR Congo, where a local cheese has become a national staple.