Central African Republic Bush War The Central African Republic Bush War began with the rebellion by the Union of Democratic Forces for Unity ( UFDR ) rebels , led by Michel Djotodia , after the President of the Central African Republic François Bozizé seized control in 2003 . However , the fighting began in 2004 . Around 10 , 000 people have been displaced because of the civil unrest . The rebellion consisted of multiple rebel groups , several of which were of very small size and founded only towards the end of the conflict . Apart from the UFDR , the conflict included the People ' s Army for the Restoration of Democracy ( CAR ) ( APRD ) , Groupe d ' action patriotique pour la liberation de Centrafrique ( GAPLC ) , the Movement of Central African Liberators for Justice ( MLCJ ) , the Front démocratique Centrafricain ( FDC ) , and Union of Republican Forces ( UFR ) . A number of peace agreements has been signed to resolve the conflict between 2007 and 2012 . The most important agreement , the Global Peace Accord ( signed in Libreville , Gabon on 21 June 2008 ) , was first signed by the ARPD , UFDR , and FDPC groups . The agreement granted amnesty for any acts perpetrated against the state prior to the agreement , and called for a disarmament and demobilization process to integrate former rebels into society and the regular CAR armed forces . Other rebel groups signed on to the agreement later , or signed similar agreements with the government ( e . g . UFR on 15 December 2008 ) . The only major group not to sign an agreement at the time was the CPJP , which continued its activities and signed a peace agreement with the government on 25 August 2012 . Timeline . 2004 . In November 2004 , at least 20 people were killed in a raid on the remote town of Birao in the north - east of the Central African Republic . 2006 . Thousands of people marched into the capital of the CAR , Bangui , on November 8 , and pleaded for the government ' s troops to confront the UFDR . Twenty members of the government were killed , and only three of the rebels died in this attack . It was also confirmed that the UFDR had gained access to several armored vehicles , including a plane that landed in Birao earlier to bring supplies . On November 13 , 2006 , a third town in northern CAR , Sam - Ouandja , was seized by the UFDR . Just three days later , claims stated that a fourth town , Ouadda , had been captured by the rebels . When the 20 , 000 residents of the city heard that the UFDR was going to capture the town , between 5 , 000 and 10 , 000 of those people fled , mostly to the neighboring cities of Bambari and Bangui . The UFDR were reportedly planning to take over the city of Bria , though rumours also supported that an additional attack may occur in Ndele . In December 2006 , Chadian troops in three army trucks attacked Bémal , located next to Bétoko , firing randomly at the population and taking 32 cows from the village , as well as farming implements and sacks of peanuts . 2007 . The FDPC ' s Abdoulaye Miskine signed a peace agreement with the government on 2 February 2007 in Syrte . The agreement called for a cessation of hostilities , the billeting of FDPC fighters and their integration with FACA , the liberation of political prisoners , and the integration of FDPC into government . After French Mirage jets bombed the UFDR headquarters in Birao , the UFDR and the CAR government signed the Birao Peace Agreement on 1 April 2007 . This agreement provides for an amnesty for the UFDR , its recognition as a political party , and the integration of its fighters into the national army . The remaining rebel groups continued fighting the government . In August 2007 Miskine was appointed as a presidential adviser . Miskine rejected the appointment , saying that the government had violated the Syrte agreement , in particular that it would fail to protect him from prosecution by the International Criminal Court . The Court had started investigating numerous war crimes that allegedly occurred during Bozize ' s 2002 - 03 coup attempt against the Patasse government , in which Mikine had been a top aide . 2008 . On 9 May 2008 the APRD signed a cease fire and peace agreement with the government in Libreville . The agreement was completed under the auspices of an ad hoc committee of CEMAC led by President Omar Bongo of Gabon . Jean Jacques Demafouth signed on behalf of the APRD and DDR minister Cyriaque Gonda on behalf of the government . A six - person board was established to monitor the implementation of the agreement ' s terms . The APRD agreement paved the way for further peace talks . On 21 June 2008 the FDPC joined the APRD and UFDR in signing the Libreville Comprehensive Peace Agreement , which reiterated and extended the provisions of the previous two agreements . On 25 August 2008 the CPJP finally acceded to the Libreville comprehensive agreement . 2011 . The CPJP and UFDR continued to fight over control of artisanal diamond fields in western CAR , especially around Bria . In April the CPJP announced that it was ready to end fighting , but made the initiation of peace talks conditional on a clarification by the government of the status of former CPJP head Charles Massi , who had been missing and presumed to have been killed in a government prison . After intensified government and international mediation efforts , the CPJP signed a ceasefire with the government on June 12 . Violence soon resumed and more than 50 deaths were reported in September 2011 . On 8 October the CPJP and the UFDR ( now aligned with the government ) signed a peace agreement in Bangui , calling for the demilitarization of Bria . 2012 . On 10 December 2012 , the conflict restarted with rebel groups accusing President Bozizé of violating the terms of their earlier agreement . The new rebel coalition , known as Séléka , overthrew Bozizé and took the capital , Bangui , on 24 March 2013 , and rebel leader Michel Djotodia declared himself President of the Central African Republic . Human rights violations and crimes . According to the Human Rights Watch ( HRW ) , hundreds of civilians were killed , more than 10 , 000 houses burned and approximately 212 , 000 persons have fled their homes to live in desperate conditions deep in the bush in northern Central African Republic . Aftermath . Further negotiations resulted in an agreement in 2008 for reconciliation , a unity government and local elections in 2009 and parliamentary and presidential elections in 2010 ; the new government was formed in January 2009 .