French troops to begin disarming CAR rebels

French troops are set to start disarming militias in the Central African Republic following a wave of sectarian violence in the capital of Bangui that has left around 400 people dead.

French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said French soldiers would begin disarming rebels on Monday morning, ‘The period of impunity is over’, he said on French RTL radio on Sunday evening, reports france24.com. Calm has been largely restored to Bangui since French troops began patrolling its streets and neighbouring towns in the wake of a new UN Security Council-backed mission that allows the use of force to protect the lives of civilians. Many terrified residents of the capital still refused to leave their homes after rival militia groups attacked civilians with knives and machetes last week.