MOSCOW, January 12 (RIA Novosti) – Russia is not joining the mass evacuation of foreigners from the strife-torn Central African Republic, a Russian diplomat said Saturday.
Some Russians living in the country have sought refuge at the Russian embassy during the New Year, but all have since returned to their homes, Russian Consul Sergei Kramarenko said.
There are only 42 Russians in the country, including embassy staff and several Russian women who have married local men, Kramarenko told RIA Novosti.
The International Organization for Migration plans to evacuate about 33,000 foreigners from the Central African Republic.
Another 27,000 have already left the country.
The majority of prospective evacuees are migrant workers from the neighboring Chad, Mali, Sudan, Niger and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
At least 600 people were killed and almost 1 million out of a population of 6 million displaced in recent weeks in the Central African Republic, according to UN estimates.
The republic is currently the site of infighting between Muslim rebels from the northern, desert part of the country who took power last March, and militias formed by the Christian population in the south.
The self-proclaimed President Michel Djotodia, installed by the Muslim rebels, announced his resignation on Friday.
