A/HRC/24/59 III. Context A. Political situation 8. In December 2012, the Séléka, a coalition of rebel groups, 2 launched an offensive in the north of the Central African Republic. The groups claimed that President François Bozizé had failed to uphold the terms of the peace agreements signed in 2007, 2008 and 2011. Peace talks between the Séléka and the Bozizé Government, held in Libreville under the auspices of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), resulted in the signing, on 11 January 2013, of the Libreville Agreements, which provided for transitional and power-sharing measures. 9. In March 2013, the Séléka, claiming that the Government had not fulfilled its obligations under the Libreville Agreements, resumed fighting and, on 24 March 2013, seized the capital, Bangui, forcing President Bozizé to flee the country. The leader of the Séléka, Michel Djotodia – who had been appointed in February 2013 by President Bozizé as first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Defence of the Government of National Unity established following the Libreville Agreements of January 2013 – proclaimed himself President, suspended the Constitution, dissolved the Government of National Unity, the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court, and commenced to rule by decree. Mr. Djotodia reappointed Nicolas Tiangaye as interim Prime Minister of the transitional arrangement put in place. 10. On 13 April, the National Transitional Council was established, electing Mr. Djotodia, the only candidate, as Head of the transition. The National Transitional Council was expanded on 12 May to comprise 135 members, and a new 34-member Government of National Unity was formed on 13 June 2013. Mr. Djotodia became Minister for Defence in the interim Government, while remaining President of the National Transitional Council. Mr. Djotodia was officially sworn in as Head of State of the Transition on 18 August 2013. B. Response of the international community 11. The United Nations Security Council, on 25 March 2013, and the African Union Peace and Security Council, on 16 April 2013, condemned the unconstitutional seizure of power by the Séléka. 12. ECCAS took the lead in defining new transitional arrangements and increased the size of its peace mission, MICOPAX, to 2,000 troops. On 19 July 2013, the African Union Peace and Security Council established the African-led International Support Mission for the Central African Republic,3 comprising the contingents serving under MICOPAX 4 and reinforced by those provided by other Member States. 2 3 4 Comprising the Union des forces démocratiques pour le rassemblement (UFDR), the Convention patriotique du salut du Kodro (CPSK), the Convention des patriotes pour la justice et la paix (CPJP – Fondamentale) and the Union des forces républicaines (UFR). The Mission has an authorized total strength of 3,652, including 3,500 uniformed personnel (2,475 for the military component and 1,025 for the police component) and 152 civilians. The transition from MICOPAX to the International Support Mission for the Central African Republic took effect on 1 August 2013. 5