Ban calls for UN force in C. African Republic (AP)

4 mar 2014

Ban calls for UN force in C. African Republic (AP)

Source: Associated Press, The Date: March 03, 2014

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is recommending the establishment of a nearly 12,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic to help protect civilians and address the root causes of religious killings.

The U.N. chief said in a report to the Security Council on Monday that the nearly 6,000 African Union troops and 1,600 French forces currently in the country are insufficient and lack civilian experts.

He recommended a U.N. mission with 10,000 troops, 1,820 police personnel, and a large civilian staff. But he stressed that the U.N. operation must be part of "a broader, long-term engagement of the international community."

Ban has warned that religious killings, which have forced almost one million people to flee their homes, are partitioning the Central African Republic into Muslim and Christian areas

APviaNewsEdge