U.S. Visitors Encouraged to Leave Central Africa Republic as Rebel Fighters Plan Takeover

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If you have family in Central Africa Republic (CAR), you may want to do all you can to ensure they’re safe. The U.S. and U.N. have encouraged its citizens to evacuate CAR as rebel fighters advance into the nation.

The U.S. Department of State has warned U.S. citizens against all but essential travel outside Bangui. On Sunday, the departure of  authorized non-emergency personnel in Bangui was authorized.

“U.S. citizens should review their personal security situation and consider taking advantage of commercial flights,” the department said. “Armed militia groups, bandits and poachers present real dangers, and the Central African government is unable to guarantee the safety of visitors in most parts of the country. There have been repeated attacks on Central African and expatriate travelers in the countryside. Attacks in past months have occurred as close as 70 kilometers from Bangui. Poachers and armed men also pose a threat to game hunters in northern and eastern CAR. The Lord’s Resistance Army poses a similar threat to hunters in eastern CAR.” On Wednesday, the U.N. ordered more than 200 non-essential staff and families of other workers to leave. “The temporary relocation is a precautionary measure to reduce our presence in the event the security situation further deteriorates in Bangui,” UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said. He added that the rebels’ “contradictory messages and their continued military offensive seem to indicate that they might be intent on taking Bangui.”