A Cameroonian contingent that is part of the U.N peace keeping force in Central African Republic has captured General Andilo, a senior leader of the anti-balaka militia, after a firefight in the town of Bouca 300km north of the capital, Bangui. A warrant for his arrest was issued since May last year. Andilo is one of the most sought after men in the country and he is expected to be transferred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for trials. Spokesman Igor Lamaka of the militia has criticized his arrest by the authorities under claims that the militia group has been transformed into a political party. He warned that it could jeopardize peace efforts in the country.
Andilo has been under U.N’s radar after he was mentioned in a report released in October as being “currently the most enigmatic, feared and powerful military commander of the anti-balaka.” General Prosecutor Maurice Dibert-Dollet in Bangui said he is wanted for “multiple alleged crimes including killings, rebellion, illegal possession of weapons of war, criminal association, rape and pillage.” A report released in January by a U.N. commission of inquiry accused the anti-balaka of ethnic cleansing among Muslims.
The arrest could spark a new wave of violence in the country after Spokesman Lamaka warned that “two-speed justice” will not be tolerated. Andilo is the fifth senior official that has been arrested since September 2014. “We denounce the disorder in which the international community wants to keep us in order to make chaos persist in this country,” he stressed.
Anti-balaka was formed in early 2014 when Michel Djotodia who was installed as president by the Seleka rebels failed to stop widespread atrocities against civilians by the rebels and had to step-down due to international pressure.