Republic of Logone
{{Short description|Self-proclaimed state in Central Africa}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = Republic of Logone
| common_name = Logone
| native_name = {{Plainlist|
- {{Native name|fr|République de Logone}}
}}
| image_flag = Flag of Dar El Kuti Republic.svg
| flag_caption = Flag
| image_coat =
| national_motto =
| national_anthem =
| image_map = Central African Republic - Dar-el-Kuti.svg
| map_caption = Territories claimed by Logone
| capital = Kaga-Bandoro{{cite web|url=http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/monthly-forecast/2016-01/central_african_republic_14.php|title=Central African Republic: January 2016 Monthly Forecast: Security Council Report|access-date=22 April 2017}}
| largest_city = Bria
| official_languages =
| common_languages = French{{·}}Arabic{{·}}Sango
| title_representative = Spokesman
| year_representative1 = 2015
| representative1 = Maouloud Moussa
| ethnic_groups =
| ethnic_groups_year =
| demonym =
| government_type = Republic
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
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| legislature =
| status = Unrecognized proto-state
| event_start = Independence declaration from the Central African Republic
| date_start = 14 December 2015
| area_km2 = 217,101
| area_rank =
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| population_estimate =
| population_census = 297,861
| population_estimate_rank =
| population_census_year = 2003
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| currency = Central African CFA franc
| time_zone = WAT
| utc_offset = +1
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}}
The Republic of Logone ({{langx|fr|République de Logone}}),{{cite news|title=Centrafrique: à la rencontre des ex-rebelles putschistes|language=fr|url=https://www.france24.com/fr/20180713-reporters-doc-centrafrique-voie-armes-seleka-logone-ndele-independance-autonomie|newspaper=France 24|date=13 July 2016|first1=Anthony |last1=Fouchard|first2=James |last2=André }} also known as Dar El-Kuti ({{langx|fr|Dar el-Kouti|links=no}}), is a partially realized, self-declared autonomous region and proto-state internationally recognised as part of the Central African Republic. It was formed by the Muslim rebel movement Popular Front for the Rebirth of Central African Republic (FPRC) with support of other armed groups on 14 December 2015.{{cite news|last1=Dembassa-Kette|first1=Crispin|title=Rebel declares autonomous state in Central African Republic|url=https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN0TZ0TW20151216?pageNumber=3&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423153715/http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN0TZ0TW20151216?pageNumber=3&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true|archive-date=23 April 2017|work=af.reuters.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/logone.htm|title=Seleka|first=John|last=Pike|access-date=22 April 2017}} the States of Republic of Logone it's Bamingui-Bangoran, Vakaga and Haute-Kotto.
Background
{{Main|Islam in the Central African Republic}}
Islam is a minority religion in the Central African Republic, practiced by approximately 15% of the population in 2012, with 85% of the population practicing Christianity.
In March 2013, during the Central African Republic Civil War which began a year earlier, the Muslim Séléka rebels forced the Christian president of the Central African Republic François Bozizé from his office, resulting in violence from the Christian anti-balaka militias. The UN sent in MINUSCA troops and scheduled a constitutional referendum for 13 December 2015 and national elections on 27 December in order to stabilize the country.{{Cite news|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-centralafrica-referendum-idUKKBN0TX1T620151214|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222112321/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-centralafrica-referendum-idUKKBN0TX1T620151214|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 December 2015|title=Voting extended for Central African referendum after violence|date=14 December 2015|work=Reuters|access-date=11 April 2020|language=en}} However, Noureddine Adam, the leader of the Popular Front for the Rebirth of Central African Republic (FPRC), one of the four Muslim Séléka militias, abstained from the scheduled elections. In his view, Muslims and Christians could no longer live together in one country.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/central-african-republic-rebels-declare-autonomous-state-in-north/2015/12/15/8efdd3a8-a380-11e5-ad3f-991ce3374e23_story.html|title=Muslim rebels declare autonomous state in Central African Republic|newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=22 April 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2015/December/Rebels-in-Central-African-Republic-Seek-Muslim-Christian-States|title=Rebels in Central African Republic Seek Muslim-Christian States|date=16 December 2015 |access-date=22 April 2017}}
History
File:CentralAfricanRepublic2017.svg
On 14 December 2015, Adam's spokesman, Maouloud Moussa, declared the autonomous Republic of Logone in the northeast of the country. He explained that they wanted first to achieve autonomy within the Central African Republic and eventually absolute independence.{{cite web|url=http://aa.com.tr/en/todays-headlines/rebel-declares-new-state-in-central-african-republic/491864|title=Rebel declares new state in Central African Republic|access-date=22 April 2017}} Later, it was announced that the name of the new republic would be "Dar al-Kuti" after the historic Dar al-Kuti sultanate.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}
Louisa Lombard, a professor of anthropology at the Yale University, explained that it is possible that declaration of a new republic was a negotiating tactic for upcoming elections or a method for increasing influence, and that the rebels did not really believe that it is feasible to create a new state.{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201512160334.html|title=Central African Republic: CAR Rebel Leader Declares Autonomous State|date=16 December 2015|access-date=22 April 2017|via=AllAfrica}}
Besides FPRC the independence of Republic of Logone has been supported by MPC, RPRC and MLCJ armed groups.[https://enoughproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TESTSplintered-warfare-LOCKED-7.31.17.pdf Splintered warfare: Alliances, affiliations, and agendas of armed factions and politicomilitary groups in the Central African Republic], August 2017
On 10 April 2021, Kaga-Bandoro was recaptured by government forces.{{Cite web|title=Centrafrique: l'armée et ses alliés reprennent la ville stratégique de Kaga-Bandoro|url=https://fr.news.yahoo.com/centrafrique-l-arm%C3%A9e-reprend-contr%C3%B4le-133700753.html|access-date=2021-04-12|website=fr.news.yahoo.com|language=fr-FR}}
Flag
The flag of the Republic of Logone consists of three horizontal stripes of yellow (for the gold of the North), black (that the north was abandoned by the government in Bangui) and green (for the fertility of the land).{{Source needed|date=October 2023}} In the centre of the black strip is a black star that stands for the struggle of the people in the north for their self-determination.{{cite web |last=Ori |first=Konye |date=18 December 2015 |title=The Republic of Logone: Self-determination and CAR's territorial integrity - Soapbox |url=http://www.theafricareport.com/Soapbox/the-republic-of-logone-self-determination-and-cars-territorial-integrity.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825205214/https://www.theafricareport.com/Soapbox/the-republic-of-logone-self-determination-and-cars-territorial-integrity.html |archive-date=25 August 2018 |accessdate=22 April 2017 |website=The Africa Report |publisher=}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20151216-rca-tentative-partition-ex-seleka-fprc-avortee-nord-est-nourredine-adam|title=RCA: tentative de sécession par l'ex-Seleka avortée dans le Nord-Est|date=2015-12-16|website=RFI|language=fr|access-date=2020-04-11}}