Central African Republic: War Crimes by Ex-Seleka Rebels

(Bangui, November 25, 2013) – Former Seleka rebel fighters who have been nominally integrated into the national army pillaged and burned a small town in the Central African Republic on November 10, 2013, Human Rights Watch said today. The transitional government, led by Interim President Michel Djotodia, should immediately suspend and investigate the military commander who organized the attack.
On November 10, Human Rights Watch saw Gen. Abdallah Hamat, the military commander of a large section of Ombella-Mpoko province, amass his men in the town of Gaga to join an attack against a local armed group, known as the anti-balaka, near the town of Camp Bangui. Four days later, Human Rights Watch reached Camp Bangui and found it totally destroyed. Survivors in Camp Bangui said that Seleka forces were responsible for the devastation. Hamat and another senior military officer acknowledged that their forces had been at Camp Bangui and there had been combat, causing some damage.