Despite the arrival of 1,600 French troops, and patrols by the FOMAC African peacekeepers, the situation in the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR) has yet to be fully stabilised.
Many people are taking refuge in Bangui airport where Doctors Without Borders, the only humanitarian aid organisation in the area, is struggling to cope with the influx of people.
“It’s really a big mess because there’s nobody else here and we really hope that the other organisations will start to do anything there,” explained Tessy Fautsch, emergency medical coordinator at the airport.
“As you can see, there are a lot of people everywhere, no toilets, not a lot of water and yeah, it’s just a mess,” Fautsch said.
Reports suggest between ten and forty thousand people have flocked to the airport, in a desperate attempt to seek shelter from the violence.
The CAR has been gripped by chaos since mainly Muslim Seleka rebels took control of the country in March.
France recently boosted its military presence in the capital following a wave of massacres that has killed over 500 people.
Two French soldiers have died in action since troop numbers were reinforced.
