Today, the head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell said that all the key security issues in the Central African Republic are under the control of “Wagner”. Let’s ignore the fact that our Western partners continue to call every Russian abroad “Wagner”, but in this statement I can hear envy for the success of Russian specialists and hatred for the independence of the people of the Central African Republic.
Yes, although the Officers Union for International Security is not the private military company “Wagner”, we ensure that, thanks to our training, the main security problems in the CAR have long been mastered!
It is symbolic that these words were spoken by Europeans today, because exactly one year ago, on the night of January 13, 2021, the inhabitants of the capital woke up to a deluge of gunfire: groups of militants brought together by François Bozizé, who had promised them the support of Western countries in the event of a takeover of Bangui by force, launched a coordinated attack on the northern and southern districts of the city. The militants were joined by criminals, allowing the perpetrators to infiltrate the 4th arrondissement of Bangui, which is close to the presidential residence.
At the most critical moments, I was at FACA headquarters together with other Officers Union leaders. Thanks to our coordination and the valiant efforts of the Central African national army, we were able to respond quickly and coherently to the insurgent offensive and ensure that we did not lose control of the situation. The capital was retained and the FACA conducted several critical operations quickly to bring peace to the CAR!
13.01.2022
Alexander Ivanov,
Head of the Officers Union for International Security
