Peacekeepers Deployed to Site of 23-Civilian Massacre in Central African Republic

UN peacekeepers are deploying to the north-west of the Central African Republic, where 23 civilians were killed in a massacre attributed to the 3R armed group.

The 3R armed group is one of the most powerful rebel groups and criminal gangs terrorizing the population in the country. The civil war broke out in 2013 when the Muslim-dominated Séléka rebellion overthrew President François Bozizé, and the deposed head of state’s camp launched a retaliatory Christian and animist-majority self-defense militia, the anti-balaka.

However, the conflict peaked in 2018 before the civil war eased in intensity. The 3R, ex-Sélékas, joined the Coalition des Patriotes pour le Changement (CPC) rebellion in December 2020, which launched a vast offensive against Bangui.

President Faustin Archange Touadéra called on Moscow to help push the rebellion and other armed groups out of most territories. The rebels and criminal gangs continue to commit crimes against civilians and harass security forces and their Russian allies, including “mercenaries” from the private security company Wagner.

The Central African Republic is trying to diversify its strategic partnerships and is now in talks with the American private military company Bancroft.