The arrested soldiers are members of the international consultant staff of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).On Tuesday January 10 at around 4pm (local time), the pair were arrested upon arrival at Bangui-M’Poko airport by the Central African Republic authorities.

 According to the Turkish news agency Anadolu, citing MINUSCA, the French soldiers are part of the UN mission’s consultant staff deployed in the country. 

In a statement, the UN force in the CAR said it was “currently in contact with the Central African national authorities to resolve the situation.”

 “The soldiers were arrested on Tuesday afternoon and since then they have been detained by the PAF (Border Police) over lack of visa,” Steve Tangoa, adviser to CAR President Faustin Archange Touadéra, told Anadolou.

 According to him, the visas of the two French nationals were not requested in Paris to circumvent the control mechanisms put in place by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 “They were hoping to get through the snares by obtaining visas at Bangui airport. This obsolete procedure must stop. Set up to facilitate travel to CAR by nationals of countries in which we do not have diplomatic representations, it is used today in an anarchic manner. Anyway investigations are underway and if they are not accused of anything, they will be released. And this is the place to recall the necessary coordination with MINUSCA for the delivery and control of accreditations,” he said.

There has been no official reaction from Paris.

 In February 2022, four French soldiers who constituted the close protection team of General Stéphane Marchenoir, Chief of Staff of MINUSCA, were arrested at Bangui airport before being released.