2003 Central African Republic coup d'état

The 2003 coup d'état occurred in March 2003 in the Central African Republic when rebel leader General François Bozizé's forces marched on Bangui, the country's capital, while President Ange-Félix Patassé was at a regional conference in Niger. While he was away, Bozizé led 1,000 fighters to the capital city of Bangui and captured the international airport and the presidential palace. Government troops, many of whom had not been paid in months, put up little resistance. President Patassé fled the country to nearby Cameroon. A curfew was imposed afterwards by Bozizé and the constitution was suspended.

France deployed a number of troops to the country for the first time in four years in order to protect foreign nationals. After the coup, Bozizé created a new division in the Central African Armed Forces, made up of "patriots" who took part in the coup with him, called the Republican Guard. They committed numerous crimes against civilians in the capital.

International response

 * Republic of the Congo and 🇬🇦 Gabon: Foreign ministers of the two countries visited General Bozizé after the coup, endorsing of the coup.