This is the latest episode in the war of influence that has been going on for several years between France and Russia in the Central African Republic. The discovery, on May 10, of an imposing cache of heavy weapons attributed to a French national causing trouble in Bangui. Apprehended by the police supported by the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) at his home in the capital, this national by the name of Juan Quignolot introduced himself as a journalist. He was apprehended in possession of numerous automatic weapons and ammunition.
According to Financial Afrik sources, he formerly belonged to the 6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (RIPma), ancestor of the Colonial Parachute Commando Battalion, which was particularly famous during the wars in Algeria and Indochina. Dissolved in 1998, the latter merged with the Initial Training Center for Non-Commissioned Members (CFIM) 11th Parachute Brigade – 6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (CFIM of the 11th DP). After leaving the army he worked as a bodyguard in several international organizations.
The communication around this arrest is not trivial. It was produced and commented on by Valery Zakharov, in particular from his tweeter account. The latter is the very influential adviser of Faustin-Archange Touadéra “FAT” in charge of security. His appointment to the head of the Central African state corresponds to the arrival in the country of the Russian paramilitary company Wagner, close to the Kremlin. Since 2016, it has been responsible for strengthening and training the national armed forces while ensuring the protection of the Head of State, successor to the President of the Transition Catherine Samba-Panza.
Numbering 600 in the country, Wagner’s men particularly distinguished themselves during the presidential election last December, by pushing back, alongside Faca and Rwandan elements, an armed rebellion ready to descend on Bangui to overthrow the Touadéra regime. . This Private Military Society (SMP) was at the heart of a critical United Nations report published last March, which points to serious human rights violations, in particular repression of civilians during checks or interventions. .
From this Russian presence arose an unofficial war between Moscow and Paris, of which the Central African Republic was one of the strategic points of military influence on the African continent. This loss of influence has resulted in a formidable information war. Coincidence? The Frenchman arrested yesterday is already considered a mercenary, with some observers already seeing him as the accomplice of other “brothers in arms” at work to prepare for a putsch.
Pending the outcome of further investigations, this arrest is unlikely to soften ties between Russia and France. Since 2018, Paris has been the subject of vigorous intoxication and disinformation campaigns through part of the local press and social networks. Last year Facebook had to delete several accounts generating “trolls” from Russia but also from France by people linked to the French army. Hundreds of accounts have been attributed to businessman Yevgeny Prigojine. Nicknamed “Putin’s Cook”, this personality from the inner circle of the Russian president is the founder of Wagner, who works in many other countries including Libya. For this file, this company was sanctioned, last December, by the European Court of Justice, for its interference and its actions of destabilization. At the same time, France has been pursuing a real punitive policy towards Bangui for several months. The former colonial power cut the tap on budget support and drastically reduced its military cooperation. The projects of the French Development Agency (AFD) are also keeping to the strict minimum.
