A United Nations peacekeeper was killed in the Central African Republic (CAR) during an ambush by armed militants, the UN announced on Tuesday.
The attack occurred on Friday near CAR’s northern border with Sudan, when suspected Sudanese armed groups opened fire on a UN peacekeeping patrol. The fallen soldier, a member of the Zambian contingent serving with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), was fatally wounded in the assault. A second peacekeeper sustained injuries and is currently receiving medical treatment.
“The members of the Security Council expressed their deep concern over the increasing number of attacks against peacekeepers in the Central African Republic,” said a statement from the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack and called for those responsible to be held accountable.
This marks the third assault on UN peacekeeping forces in CAR since the beginning of the year. Armed groups continue to target security forces in contested regions as they vie for territorial control.
The Central African Republic has faced persistent instability since 2013, when mostly Muslim rebel factions overthrew then-President François Bozizé. Although a peace agreement was signed in 2019, it only temporarily reduced hostilities. Since then, six of the 14 signatory armed groups have pulled out of the deal, reigniting violence in parts of the country.
CAR was among the first African nations to welcome Russian-backed forces, which entered the country under the banner of supporting government efforts against insurgents. However, these forces have been accused of committing human rights abuses and, in some cases, worsening the security situation.
