The APRD was initially formed of elements of the Patassé's former Presidential Guard, along with autonomous semi-armed community defense groups of the northeast of the CAR. Between these two elements, the APRD fielded around a thousand fighters, most poorly armed. The APRD initially appeared in an attack on government forces in the northeastern town of
Paoua in January 2006. Initially led by former presidential guard lieutenant Florian Djadder, the APRD became a coalition of former Patassé loyalists, and local northeastern groups, some armed only with homemade weapons, who had appeared after CAR army attacks on northern towns in 2006. From 2006, the APRD was one of three politico-military fronts engaged in a war against the government of the CAR. These other groups were the
Democratic Front of the Central African People (FDPC) led by
Abdoulaye Miskine and the
Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (UFDR) led by Zakaria Damane, both based in the northeast of the nation, near the regional center of
Birao. During the 2006–2007 fighting, the APRD was accused of using
child soldiers and a number of human rights abuses. The APRD in turn, accused the government of widespread attacks upon civilians and human rights violations. Low level fighting between the government, the APRD, and armed criminal gangs continued sporadically in
Ouham,
Ouham-Pende, and
Nana-Grebizi Departments throughout 2006, and up until the 2008 cease fire.
Human Rights Watch has reported that APRD bands have not only attacked government targets, but systematically extorted taxation from local people, looted villages and stolen herds. In response "CAR security forces have committed serious and widespread abuses against the civilian population, including multiple
summary executions and unlawful killings, widespread burning of civilian homes, and the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of persons, instilling terror in the civilian population." ==2008 peace process==