A Frenchman named Juan Rémy Quignolot was arrested yesterday in the Central African Republic (CAR). It would be a French intelligence agent, who had collaborated with François Bozizé in 2013.
While the Central African army begins to gain advantage over the CPC insurgency, a French spy was arrested in Bangui, the capital of the CAR. The detainee would be called Juan Rémy Quignolot. It would be a former collaborator of the leader of the insurrection François Bozizé.
The Central Office for the Suppression of Banditry (OCRB) arrested Quignolot at his home. Officers found a staggering amount of weapons at the scene. At least three sniper rifles, 8 handguns, thousands of bullets and grenades were seized. In addition, Guignolot had around XNUMX cell phones, bulletproof vests, maps and other equipment. Clearly, he was not in Bangui for sightseeing.
As a reminder, François Bozizé was attacked by the Seleka during his mandate in 2013. Before fleeing to Cameroon, he was allegedly assisted by François Hollande, who had sent a special unit to extract him. Also, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was a close ally of Bozizé.
However, Bozizé is currently on the run and under the yoke of international sanctions. He leads the rebellion of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC). Since the refusal of his candidacy for the last presidential election in 2016, he sowed dissent in Bangui. It was only since March that he assumed his role in the rebellion, which he had held since the union of the CPC last November. However, since then, the CPC has only lost ground, and allies.
https://twitter.com/VlrZakharov/status/1391787628777906183
Spies are never there by chance
So, the French spy, Juan Rémi Quignolot, was arrested for doubts about his links with the CPC. The Attorney General of Bangui, Didier Tambo, told Anadolu: "He was in possession of significant military effects". The arrest was also confirmed by the military adviser to President Faustin-Archange Touadéra. Indeed, Valery Zakharov, head of the Russian paramilitaries who protect Bangui, tweeted yesterday. He didn't give many details, but retweets from Bangui citizens accompanied the news with photos of the arrest.
Otherwise, the French diplomatic mission did not comment on the subject. However, the presence in Bangui of a French spy who worked for the leader of the insurgency is very curious. Government forces began to retake CPC strongholds in recent weeks. In addition, some militias of the insurgent group lowered their arms and surrendered to the army.
However, rumors have spread on differences between the Central African government and France. Also, on the sidelines of the Chadian crisis, the CAR allegedly prohibited France from using its airspace to attack the FACT rebels in Chad. In addition, the current French President Emmanuel Macron spoke out against the Russian presence in CAR. Although the Russian paramilitaries had rightly protected the Central Africans against what promised to be a massacre.
However, the arrest of the French spy could just as easily be accidental. But the presence of Quignolot is a breach international law. The next few days will likely reveal what this dangerous individual was still doing in CAR. If he actively supported the CPC, this fact constitutes a state crime, for which France will have to answer.
A French secret agent has been arrested in Bangui.
It is France that is destabilizing the Central African Republic ...@RFI will she write about it? No.But we are aware of what is going on! pic.twitter.com/dufyuqTAJs
- Raphaël Maloungou (@CentroRaphael) May 10, 2021