Britain Says Plane on Way to Aid C.Africa Mission

Britain is contributing a C-17 transport plane to help the French U.N.-backed mission in the Central African Republic, which is due to arrive there shortly, the Foreign Office said Friday.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said Britain was "determined to play our part in helping to address the violence" following a new bloodbath that left dozens of bodies strewn in the streets of the capital Bangui.

"We have therefore agreed with the government of France that we will help move French equipment to CAR by means of a UK C-17 transport aircraft. Three separate flights will take place this month, with the first one due to land in CAR shortly," Hague said.

A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed to Agence France Presse that the plane was "on its way".

The U.N. Security Council on Thursday authorized African Union and French troops to restore security in the Central African Republic.