Operation Barracuda

The operation Barracuda 1979 was a military operation by French special forces to overthrow the Central African Emperor Bokassa and the restoration of the Central African Republic .

course

On September 20th, 1979 2:00 landed at night at the airport in Bangui two Transall C-160 of the one ^he régiment de parachutistes d'infantry de marine (1st Parachute Regiment of Marines) of the French army . They were from previously infiltrated reconnaissance of SDECE using flashlights on the unlit runway steered. After the paratroopers had nonviolently brought the airport under their control, they moved towards the city center in requisitioned vehicles and captured the government soldiers at the roadblocks. In the meantime, eight fully-manned Puma helicopters flew from the Chadian capital Ndjamena first to Bangui and then on to Bokassa's residence in Bobangi, where they neutralized Bokassa's imperial guard .

David Dacko , who was overthrown by Bokassa in 1966, accompanied the troops and proclaimed himself in a radio address the following day as the successor to Bokassa, who was on a state visit in Libya .

literature

Titley, Brian: Dark Age: The Political Odyssey of Emperor Bokassa . Montreal, McGill-Queen's University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-7735-1602-6 .