Ten people, including a child, were brutally killed in motorcycle ambush in Djamangoundji, Central African Republic (CAR), on Monday. Local officials attributed the attack to “thugs,” with the victims reportedly tied up and their throats slit.
The victims, travelling from a religious festival in Bria to Ippy, were intercepted while riding motorcycles approximately 600 kilometres northwest of Bangui. The attack claimed the lives of six motorcycle drivers, four passengers, and a child.
Jacques Tafogo, an MP for Bria, expressed outrage, calling the killings shocking. Haute-Kotto prefect Evariste Biguinindji announced three days of mourning and urged calm as security forces launched an operation in the area.
Motorcycle drivers in Bria have declared a strike until Friday in protest against the violence, which echoes a similar attack in September that left ten dead.
The region, rich in diamonds and gold, has long been plagued by conflict as militias vie for control of lucrative resources. Decades of instability and war have left the CAR among the poorest nations, with 71% of its population living below the poverty line.
While the CAR’s civil war has reduced in intensity since 2013, rebel groups continue to exploit its natural wealth, leading to sporadic violence. The government has granted mining rights to foreign companies, including those linked to Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which has supported CAR forces against armed factions since 2018.
The killings highlight the ongoing insecurity in a nation struggling to balance resource exploitation with the safety of its citizens.
