France says more European nations to deploy troops to C.Africa

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced Tuesday that other European countries would deploy ground troops to the violence-hit Central African Republic, without identifying them.

“We will soon have troops on the ground provided by our European colleagues,” he told the lower house National Assembly, days after he decided to seek help from Europe in its former colony, where France has deployed a 1,600-strong force to quell deadly sectarian violence.

In a radio interview on Sunday, Fabius had said that Poland, Britain, Germany, Spain and Belgium were already helping with logistics.

Asked at the time whether some of these five states may go further and send troops to prop up French and African forces already on the ground, he said “two of them are currently considering (this)”, without identifying them.

In Brussels, a Belgian military source told AFP that the government was considering the dispatch of some 150 troops for “a protection mission”.

The source, who asked not to be identified, said the troops might be deployed to secure airports, including in the capital, Bangui. A decision will be taken when Paris makes an official request and “is expected to be positive.”

Belgium had already agreed to send an Airbus A330 transport plane and a C-130 Hercules tactical transport plane to the Central African Republic.

Central Africa has spiralled into chaos since a March coup by the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group overthrew president Francois Bozize, with deadly violence pitting Muslims against Christians.

Faced with reports of widespread atrocities in Central Africa, France on December 5 decided to deploy its force to prop up an African peacekeeping force already on the ground.

These have since been disarming former Seleka members as well as armed Christian militia. Two French paratroopers have been killed since the start of the operation.