Opposition demands withdrawal of South African troops in Central African Republic

JOHANNESBURG – A South African opposition party is presenting an urgent parliamentary resolution in a bid to force President Jacob Zuma to withdraw troops from the Central African Republic.

Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille's announcement Monday comes amid increasingly angry debate over why the soldiers were deployed and allegations they were sent to protect mining interests of South Africa's governing African National Congress. The ANC denies it has any business in the country rich in diamonds, uranium and oil.

There are even suggestions Zuma should be impeached for allegedly misleading parliament about the foreign military mission.

Thirteen South African soldiers were killed in a March 24 battle in which rebels took the Central African Republic's capital, Bangui. President Francois Bozize fled the country.

Zuma has said the soldiers were training CAR troops.