U.S. President Barack Obama said on Saturday in a letter to the congress that about 50 American troops have been deployed to help the evacuation of U.S. diplomats and citizens from the Central African Republic (CAR).
Obama informed the congressional leaders that the troops were deployed on Thursday to the CAR's neighbouring country of Chad to " support the evacuation of U.S. embassy personnel and U.S. citizens " due to "the deteriorating security situation," according to the letter released by the White House.
He noted that although equipped for combat, this "stand-by" security force was deployed "solely for the purpose of protecting U.S. citizens and property."
As rebels in the CAR move swiftly in its southward push and are about to approach the capital city of Bangui, the resource-rich but impoverished country is facing the biggest security challenge since forming a government in January 2009 after an inclusive political dialogue.
The United States on Thursday suspended the operations of its embassy in the CAR due to security concerns. U.S. Ambassador Lawrence Wohlers and the rest of the diplomatic team left Bangui on Thursday along with several private U.S. citizens, said the State Department.