New CAR strongman General Bozize has freed a group of prisoners jailed by ousted president Patasse. Among those freed was a photographer and a journalist incarcerated for "threatening internal state security" and "inciting tribal hatred" after he published two articles in the local paper. The Congolese and Gabonese foreign ministers praised Bozize for this move.

About 100 Chadian soldiers arrived in the Central African Republic, joining the 300 troops of the Gabonese-led Central African Monetary and Economic Community (CEMAC) force already in Bangui. This may not go over too well with the locals, since there have been multiple reports that Chadanian 'mercenaries' (identified because they were speaking Arabic) were among the looters. - Adam Geibel