Dispatches: Central African Republic – “We will take our revenge” | Human Rights Watch

Dispatches: Central African Republic – “We will take our revenge” | Human Rights Watch:

 Fatimatu Yamsa knew that her desperate attempt to flee the slaughter all around her had failed as soon as she saw the Christian anti-balaka militia at a roadblock. Fatimatu was on a truck in Boali, about 100 kilometers northwest of Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. Knowing she was about to die, Fatimatu pleaded with the Christian woman next to her to take her seven-month-old baby and pretend it was the woman’s own.

“If you make it to the next town, ask for the Yamsa family, and give them my baby,” Fatimatu pleaded in desperation as she was ordered to descend from the vehicle.

 

Local Christians, including
children, loot and burn homes in the Muslim neighborhood of PK13 located
on the outskirts of Bangui. After the Seleka’s self-appointed
president, Michael Djotodia, was forced from power on January 10th and
fled into exile, many Seleka fighters also fled. Anti-balaka forces
moved in attacking and killing the Muslim population and destroying
their homes and mosques. January 22, 2014.

© 2014 Marcus Bleasdale/VII for Human Rights Watch