{Captain Guillaume Ancel (center) served under France’s “Opération Turquoise” in Rwanda during the Genocide that claimed a million lives. The Captain says the French force was not in Rwanda for protecting civilians but aimed at removing RPA rebel Army from state control.}
{{A French Army Captain Guillaume Ancel who was deployed under {“Opération Turquoise”} in Rwanda during the 1994 Genocide against ethnic Tutsi’s has opened up saying the French forces had an objective of pushing back the Rwanda Patriotic Army rebels.}}
Capt. Guillaume Pictured above said “Opération Turquoise” was not in Rwanda to protect vicilians but to fight against APR rebel Army. The Captain told {Jeune Afrique } recently a version that contradicts that of the French Government.
According to Capt. Guillaume, he was instructed to deliver guns and other ammunitions to the fleeing Rwanda Army. He said he would pack guns in civilian vehicles and deliver them to the defeated government troops on their way to DRCongo.
The controversial captain explains that delivering weapons to the fleeing government troops was to show them that they were still allies and wouldn’t want to be viewed as enemies thus preventing attacks against French troops.
Capt. Guillaume reveals that between July 23 and August 22, the French troops would launch a military offensive against the RPA rebel army that was gaining larger control of the country.
According to him, the operation would be supported by the French Airforce that would strike against RPA bases in Kigali and the French army would launch protracted attacks on ground from the “Turquoise” zone.
Zone Turquoise was an area covering the Cyangugu-Kibuye-Gikongoro triangle which was under French influence.
In May 2006, the Paris Court of Appeal accepted six court suits deposed by victims of the genocide to magistrate Brigitte Reynaud.
The charges raised against the French army during Operation Turquoise from June to August 1994 are of “complicity of genocide and/or complicity of crimes against humanity.”
The victims allege that French soldiers engaged in Operation Turquoise helped Interahamwe militias in finding their victims, and have themselves carried out atrocities.
The former Rwandan ambassador to France Jacques Bihozagara testified, “Operation Turquoise was aimed only at protecting genocide perpetrators, because the genocide continued even within the Turquoise zone.” France has always denied any role in the killing.
Leave a Reply