Moscow and the Central African Republic signed a military cooperation agreement on Tuesday, less than a month after three Russian journalists were killed in the strife-torn CAR while probing alleged Russian mercenaries.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his CAR counterpart Marie-Noelle Koyara signed the document on the sidelines of defense expo Army-2018 outside Moscow, Russian agencies reported.

The deal "will help strengthen ties in the defense sphere," Shoigu was quoted as saying after the ceremony.

Russian deputy defense minister Alexander Fomin later told Interfax news agency that the pact was a "framework agreement" about general avenues of cooperation.

"Exchange of delegations, education in Russian military institutes, mutual visits and so forth," he was quoted as saying.

The agreement is set to deepen Moscow's involvement in the impoverished CAR, where the government is desperate to boost its armed forces in the fight against militias which control most of the country.

A UN arms embargo imposed in 2013 was last year lifted exclusively for Moscow.

It has since then sent instructors and some equipment and now provides security for President Faustin-Archange Touadera.

The deal follows the murder in late July of three Russian journalists who were ambushed in CAR while investigating a shadowy Russian mercenary group called Wagner and its possible relation to both government and rebel forces.

The investigation was funded by ex-oil tycoon Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Both CAR authorities and Moscow have labeled the killings a robbery, but Khodorkovsky's own inquiry claimed this argument "does not stand up to scrutiny".

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

South Sudan's child soldiers hope for life after war
Pibor, South Sudan (AFP) Aug 17, 2018
By the time Baba John escaped the tribal militia he had joined as an 11-year-old, he had long stopped counting the number of people he had killed. "I shot people. We all did," said Baba John. "I received a gun and was told how to shoot and point the gun. I don't remember how many I shot but there were many." A murderous time for Baba John began with a life-or-death decision when a South Sudanese armed group, known as the Cobra Faction, attacked his village close to the eastern town of Pibor, nea ... read more