"On several occasions, the Central African authorities have made commitments they haven't respected, as much in the political area towards the opposition as with regards to their behaviour towards France, which is the target of a massive disinformation campaign," the source said, asking not to be named.

While the Russians were seen as responsible, "the Central Africans are at best complicit in this campaign," the source added.

Five French soldiers advising the CAR defence ministry returned to France in April and military training has been suspended, the source added, confirming details first reported by the Paris-based Mediapart website.

When contacted, the foreign ministry was unable to provide figures for the amount of annual military aid given by France to CAR.

The suspension underlines the extent of the rivalry between France and Russia in CAR, a mostly poor former French colony, as well as the concern in Paris about online influence campaigns targeting its presence in Africa.

Last December, Facebook removed two networks of fake accounts based in Russia and one linked to the French military which it said were being used for interference campaigns in Africa, including in CAR.

The decision by France to suspend military cooperation also comes on the heels of a similar move in Mali where French military operations with the national army were suspended last week after a second coup in nine months.

French forces intervened in CAR from 2013-2016 in an attempt to pacify the country following the overthrow of former president Francois Bozize in 2013.

A 12,500-strong UN peacekeeping force remains in the country to which France will continue to contribute around a dozen soldiers.

France will also maintain around 100 soldiers in a European Union-led military training operation in CAR, the defence ministry source added.

dab/adp/sjw/ach

FACEBOOK