civilians killed CAR
An armed militiaman, stands guard at the entrance of the headquarters of the Muslim “self-defence force” group of the PK5 majority Muslim district of Bangui, on November 15, 2017. The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously on Novembe 15, 2017 to extend the mandate of the MINUSCA force for a year following negotiations between France, which drafted the resolution, and the United States, the biggest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping. FLORENT VERGNES / AFP

Home » Gunmen kill 13 civilians in Central African village

Gunmen kill 13 civilians in Central African village

Gunmen have shot dead 13 civilians in an attack on a remote village in troubled Central African Republic (CAR), local officials said on Tuesday. Around 20 rebels on Monday attacked Diki, near the Chadian border in the northwest of the country, according to regional prefect Jean Gilbert Gbangoudou. ALSO READ: Constitution change causes protests in Central […]

By AFP
02-08-23 10:25
in Africa
civilians killed CAR
An armed militiaman, stands guard at the entrance of the headquarters of the Muslim “self-defence force” group of the PK5 majority Muslim district of Bangui, on November 15, 2017. The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously on Novembe 15, 2017 to extend the mandate of the MINUSCA force for a year following negotiations between France, which drafted the resolution, and the United States, the biggest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping. FLORENT VERGNES / AFP

Gunmen have shot dead 13 civilians in an attack on a remote village in troubled Central African Republic (CAR), local officials said on Tuesday.

Around 20 rebels on Monday attacked Diki, near the Chadian border in the northwest of the country, according to regional prefect Jean Gilbert Gbangoudou.

ALSO READ: Constitution change causes protests in Central Africa Republic

The village mayor, Ibrahim Senoussi, confirmed the death toll and said two people were also wounded.

The assault took place some 22 kilometres (14 miles) from an army base in Bamingui-Bangoran prefecture, although the soldiers were only alerted afterwards, local deputy Aline Aziza told AFP.

The rebels gathered “the men of the village, saying they wanted to talk to them” and then opened fire, Senoussi said.

ALSO READ: NFP councillor murder: Voice note that threatened violence in 3 days

There was no immediate response from the CAR government and the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA to an AFP request for information.\

VILLAGE

Landlocked, mineral rich but deeply poor, the CAR is one of the world’s most turbulent countries, struggling with a decade-long burden of civil strife.

The bloodshed came a day after a referendum on a new constitution that would allow President Faustin-Archange Touadera, 66, to seek a third term.

ALSO READ: YouTube, TikTok makeup artists defy the odds in Central Africa 

The main opposition parties, civil groups and armed rebels all called on voters to boycott the exercise, accusing Touadera of seeking to remain president for life.

The proposed constitution would extend the presidential mandate from five to seven years and abolish the two-term limit.

In 2020 Touadera won a second five-year term after a vote overshadowed by an offensive by armed rebel groups.

They were thwarted by hundreds of Rwandan troops and operatives from Russia’s Wagner mercenary force, who have largely pushed rebel groups into rural areas.

ALSO READ: Seven million internally displaced people live in Central Africa

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© Agence France-Presse

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