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Africa Subsaharan
Burundian troops airlifted to CAR
2013-12-14
The United States began airlifting Burundian troops to the Central African Republic yesterday, part of efforts to help African and French forces prevent a descent into civil war, BurundiÂ’s army said.
I'm guessing Uncle Sugar paid for the ride...
“Burundi is deploying a battalion of troops to the Central African Republic,” Colonel Gaspard Baratuza, Burundi army spokes-man, told Reuters.

“A US plane today airlifted the first team and the operation with US logistics will continue.”

The Burundian troops are due to join an African peacekeeping force that has struggled to contain the violence in Central African Republic, which has killed more than 500 people in the past week.

Previously a Central African force, the mission is being broadened to fall under African Union command. Troop numbers are due to be increased from 2,500 to around 6,000 following meetings between African leaders in France last week.
But they have no airlift...
The US support for Burundian troops comes after Britain started air lifting equipment for French troops to the capital, Bangui.

Baratuza said the Burundian forces were expected to stay in Central African Republic for one year, but that further troops would be sent in, in rotation, if the mission was extended by the United Nations Security Council.
We'll fly them in too, and then fly them home when they're done...
The Bujumbura government has also sent peacekeeping troops to Somalia to battle Islamist militants.
Posted by:Steve White

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