2016 escape from Bangui

The convoy left PK5 district at 20:00 Central African Time. At 21:00 they arrived at residence of Djono Abba, where they tried to convince him to join them. After half an hour of negotiations he refused to follow the convoy and they left. A few minutes later they reached the barrier at PK12 manned with four soldiers, where gendarmes asked them for purpose of their travel. The driver of the first vehicle told the gendarme to speak to the driver of the fourth vehicle. At this point first vehicle broke the barrier at full speed while other vehicles fired into the air, causing gendarmes and soldiers to flee. One of the fighters, Guy Laurent Mbériot, fell from the vehicle and was subsequently captured by MINUSCA.[4] One of young shopkeepers who was present there phone Anti-balaka fighters in Damara to stop the convoy.[2] One shopheekeper, Moussa Wahanda, was injured during the clashes.[5]

The convoy forced its way through and continued along the Sibut-Dékoa road. At the Guerengou checkpoint, between Bangui and Damara, Hissène explained to the gendarmes that he was on a disarmament, demobilization, repatriation and reintegration awareness-raising mission and was granted free passage.

On the road into Damara, gendarmes who had been alerted by their colleagues from PK12 set up a barricade and called in FACA soldiers from Damara as well as local Anti-balaka soldiers. After less than an hour of exchange of fire, the convoy forced its passage through the barricade. One ex-Séléka fighter who fell off a truck was killed by anti-balaka fighters. The inhabitants of this town fled to take refuge in the bush.[2] Lacking ammunition and outnumbered, security forces could not pursue the convoy, which was then able to stop in Damara to change the tires of some vehicles. After the brigade commander of the gendarmerie had alerted MINUSCA in Damara, one MINUSCA vehicle left the military base, but arrived at the scene only after the confrontation had taken place. Upon arrival at the halted convoy, the MINUSCA commander saw that many ex-Séléka fighters were wounded, but judged that an intervention would be too risky. The convoy was able to repair all but one of the vehicles and resumed its journey. The national gendarmerie seized the abandoned vehicle belonging to Gaye but armed anti-balaka fighters forced the gendarmes to hand over the vehicle the following day.

In Sibut, MINUSCA received orders in time to block the convoy and disarm and arrest the ex-Séléka fighters. At 5 a.m. on 13 August, MINUSCA stopped the convoy 40 km south of Sibut in Galafondo village[3] and initiated negotiations with Hissène. Among the 34 remaining men, two had died and several were wounded. The ex-Séléka fighters were willing to hand over heavy weapons but wanted to keep some of their light weapons to defend themselves against anti-balaka. MINUSCA rejected the proposal and insisted on full disarmament. While negotiations were ongoing, the arrival of a MINUSCA helicopter spread panic among the ex-Séléka fighters who fled into the bush. MINUSCA was able to arrest 11 fighters and seize a significant amount of weapons and ammunition and all vehicles. According to minister of transport Théodore Jousso, two fighters were killed during this fight and four were injured incluing Hamed Tidjani.[6] Four wounded fighters were evacuated to Bangui hospital for medical assistance, and six were brought to the MINUSCA base in Sibut before being handed over to the national authorities. Three Burundian blue helmets were wounded during this operation.

The 11 men detained by MINUSCA between Damara and Sibut and the personnel captured thereafter in the bush and in Bangui were all handed over to the national gendarmerie — some after several weeks of extensive medical care at the MINUSCA hospital. The men were charged with criminal association, illegal possession of weapons, crimes against the State security and rebellion, and all but one were put under precautionary detention in the Ngaragba prison centre and Camp Deroux — this in spite of their expressed fear of falling victim to anti-balaka actions inside the prison. Additional additional fighters were later captured in bush bringing the total to 16.

On 22 February 2018 the court interrogated two detainees, Moustapha Mahamat and Youssouf Ahmat as well as witness Moussa Wahanda.[5] On 26 February the court interrogated six of the detainees, Abdel Nebou, Ahamat Issa, Imael Issa, Mahamat Salé, Laurent Mbériot and Issène Abakar.[4] On 27 February accused Nassour Amine was interrogated. He was stationed at BSS camp in Bangui and travelled in last of the seven vehicles. He was accused of taking part in aplnning of the escape.[13]

On 28 February 2018 all of them were sentenced by court.[14] Out of 16 tried, four of them were released, 11 (including Ahamat Tidjani, Hissen Abakar, Mahamat Sallé and Youssouf) were sentenced to life in prison while one (Ahamat Aroun Kamiss) was sentenced to 10 years in prison.[15][12]

1. Haroun Gaye
2. Abdoulaye Hissène

[15][16]

1. Ahamat Tidjani
2. Hissène Abakar
3. Mahamat Sallé
4. Youssouf Mahamat
5. Abdoulaye Djibril Yacoub
6. Mahamat Saleh Assane
7. Moustapha Mahamat
8. Ismael Issa
9. Nassour Amine Mahamat
10. Laurent Mbério(t), alias « Moussa »
11. Abdel Kader
12. Ahamat Aroun Kamiss