Antibalaka

"Antibalaka" from the local languages Sango and Manja can literally be translated as "anti-machete" or "anti-sword" ^{[3] [4]} . According to other sources, this is an abbreviation for the phrase “anti-balles à ti laka”, meaning amulets supposedly protecting from AK-47 bullets (whose slang name is “laka”) worn by members of the group. ^[five]

In early February 2014, Patrice-Edouard Ngaisson , one of the leaders of Antibalaki and former Minister of Youth and Sports in the government of Bozize, said that the number of militia soldiers is from 60 to 70 thousand people, half of which are in Bangui ^[6] . Richard Bezhuan, another leader of the group, in the same month said that the number of militias is 52 thousand people and 12 thousand of them are in Bangui ^[7] .

Antibalaka originally arose in the 1990s as a self-defense force of Christians and animists of the south of the country against Muslims of the north ^{[1] [8]} .

In March 2013, CAR President Francois Bozize (a Christian by religion) was overthrown during the Civil War by a predominantly Muslim coalition of rebels, known as Celeka. The leader of Seleki, Michel Jotodia, then proclaimed himself president, becoming the first Muslim leader in the history of the Central African Republic ^[9] .

Jotodia formally announced the dissolution of Seleka in September 2013 ^[10] , but most militia units refused to dissolve themselves ^[4] . Thus, the bloody confrontation between Seleka and Antibalaka continued ^{[4] [11]} .

Since most Christians in the CARs are sedentary, and many Muslims are nomads, it is argued that land disputes are another aspect of tension ^[12] . In November 2013, the UN warned the government about the danger of the conflict escalating into genocide ^[13] and “slipping into complete chaos” ^[14] , and French politicians assessed the situation in the country as “... on the verge of genocide” ^[15] . On December 2, anti-Balak militia allegedly killed 12 people, among whom were children, and injured 30 more during an attack by representatives of the Fulbe , the largest Muslim ethnic group in the city of Boali , as reported by the government. ^[16] This event led to a new round of conflict in the Central African Republic, much of which is under the control of the Jotodia government.

Since December 5, 2013, the militias of Antibalaki, together with units of the former government forces of the Central African Republic, have been taking part in the battles for Bangui, the capital of the country, and the city of Bosangoa .

In early 2014, the situation worsened; seasoned by war and massacres, the Antibalaki militias reportedly committed a number of war crimes ^[1] , not only in Boali, but also in the village of Bolong ^{[18] [19]} . In 2014, Amnesty International reported several massacres committed by members of Antibalaki, whose victims were Muslim civilians, forcing thousands of Muslims to flee the country ^{[20] [21]} .

At the end of February 2014, Ngaisson called on militia members to stop violence against peaceful Muslims, but noted that, according to him, most of the attacks were carried out by gangs disguised as anti-Balak forces ^[22] . At the same time, another militia field commander, Camizoulaye, said that today the anti-Balak militia is heterogeneous and it has groups with different views, some of which really make terror among the peaceful Muslim population ^[23] .

• Yekatom, Alfred