Russia trains CAR defence forces

from OMAN MBIKO in Bangui, Central African Republic
BANGUI, (CAJ News) – RUSSIA, which played a crucial role in peace-building efforts in the Central African Republic (CAR), is strengthening the country’s defence forces.

The initiative comes a year after Russia achieved a partial lifting of the arms embargo on the Central African country from the United Nations Security Council.

A batch of small arms and ammunition was subsequently sent to the CAR as well as five military and 170 civilian instructors from Russia.

Since then, they have been training members of the armed forces of the CAR (FACA).

Russian instructors have organized a training centre in the city of Berengo, where defence forces of the CAR are trained in the handling of weapons, as well as methods of combat.

The facility is equipped with a fire complex with a multi-purpose shooting range.

Russian instructors cleared the area and created a tactical field, as well as a site for conducting comprehensive training with an observation tower, a combat point, a full profile trench and a target installation.

In addition to educational facilities in Berengo, there are household facilities.

It accommodates more than 300 cadets.

As of March, seven sets of cadets have been groomed at the training centre. Some 1 900 individuals have been trained, including 128 officers.

Among those trained are machine gunners, rifle experts, police officers, gendarmes.

President Faustin Touadera, the defense Minister Marie-Noëlle Koyara, and UN representatives have attended some important sessions of the training exercise.

Also, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on sending 30 troops to the Central African Republic, which will be part of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Republic – MINUSCA.

CAR is emerging from years of civil conflict.

– CAJ News