Armed Rebels Surrounded French President’s Plane During Visit To Central African Republic

[Purveyor]

By Agence France-Presse
Monday, December 16, 2013 7:03 EST

Armed rebels briefly surrounded François Hollande’s airplane in the Central African Republic’s main airport during an impromptu visit by the France’s president last week, French media revealed over the weekend.

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening, moments after Hollande had exited the Falcon 7X plane that flew him into Bangui, the capital of the conflict-torn African nation.

While the French president was meeting with the country’s transitional president Michel Djotodia in a military base within the airport compound, two 4x4s and five pickups full of Seleka rebels surrounded the presidential aircraft, the Le Parisien daily reported Sunday citing sources close to the president’s office.

With Hollande, First Lady Valérie Trierweiler, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, and some of the president’s cabinet ministers just yards away inside the military base, French special forces soldiers had a tense, although short, standoff with the rebels.

French defense officials stated that the French president had not been in any danger.

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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/16/armed-rebels-surrounded-french-presidents-plane-during-visit-to-central-african-republic/

[TwilightGardener]

1. Good Lord.