2003 Central African Republic coup d'état
| 2003 CAR coup d'état | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
|
 Chad (denied by Chad) | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| General François Bozizé[1] | President Ange-Félix Patassé[1] | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| Unknown | Central African Armed Forces[1] | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1,000[1] |
 370 soldiers[2] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown |
3 soldiers killed[1] | ||||||
A coup d'état occurred in March 2003 in the Central African Republic when the forces of General François Bozizé marched on Bangui, the country's capital, while President Ange-Félix Patassé was at a regional conference in Niger.
Background
On 25 October 2002 forces local to Bozize invaded Bangui. They withdrew after six days of fighting.[3] On 27 November 2002 armed forces recaptured Bossembele killing five rebels and reopening road to Bouar.[4] On 7 December armed forces recaptured Damara from rebels.[5] On 20 December armed forces recaptured Bozoum. On 14 January 2003 Bouar was reportedly under rebels control.[6]
Coup
While Patassé was away, Bozizé led 1,000 fighters to the capital city of Bangui and captured the international airport and the presidential palace. Government troops, many of whom had not been paid in months, put up little resistance. The 370 CEMAC peacekeepers abandoned their posts rather than fight. A curfew was imposed afterwards by Bozizé and the constitution was suspended. President Patassé, meanwhile, fled the country to nearby Cameroon when rebels shot at his plane. Militants from Chad were spotted among the rebel fighters, but the President of Chad, Idriss Déby, denied providing any military support to Bozizé. At least fifteen people were killed.[1][2]
France deployed a number of troops to the country for the first time in four years in order to protect foreign nationals.[7] After the coup, Bozizé created a new division in the Central African Armed Forces, made up of "patriots" who took part in the coup with him, called the Republican Guard. They committed numerous crimes against civilians in the capital.[8]
International response
Republic of the Congo and 
Gabon: Foreign ministers of the two countries visited General Bozizé after the coup, saying that they would negotiate with him.[2]
Chad: The President of Chad, Idriss Déby, denied allegations that Chadian troops helped Bozizé.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g CAR coup strongly condemned BBC News Africa. 17 March 2003.
- ^ a b c "CAR: A popular coup", The Economist, 20 March 2003.
- ^ Calm returns to Bangui as rebels retreat, 31 October 2022
- ^ Central African Republic: Rebels routed from northern city, 27 November 2022
- ^ Central Africa Republic: Chronology of 2002
- ^ Central African Republic: Government sends reinforcements to Bozoum, 16 January 2003
- ^ Central African Republic: Mutinies, Civil Wars and a Coup, 1993—2003
- ^ – UNDP: Fiche Pays: République centrafricaine (2005)
