BANGUI, Central African Republic — The United Nations on Saturday condemned the killing of a Kenyan peacekeeper in an ambush of a patrol in the east of the Central African Republic.
Florence Marchal, the spokesperson for MINUSCA, the peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic, said the soldier was killed during a UN patrol near the village of Tabant, 24 kilometers (15 miles) northwest of Sémio.
Marchal said Valentine Rugwabiza, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the Central African Republic, “condemns this attack in the strongest possible terms” and is “extremely shocked by this despicable attack on peacekeepers whose mission is to protect civilian populations.”
Government spokesperson Maxime Balalu told the Associated Press that government and law enforcement authorities would do everything in their power to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Central African Republic remains one of the world’s poorest countries despite its , including gold and diamonds. Rebel groups have often operated with impunity, thwarting mining exploration by foreign companies.
The country has been in conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power and forced then President François Bozizé from office. Six of the 14 armed groups that signed a later left the agreement. Locals and the government have credited Wagner forces with preventing rebels from taking control of Bangui in 2021.
The country is one of the first in which the Russia-backed mercenary established operations with the pledge of fighting rebel groups and restoring peace. Wagner forces have served as personal bodyguards for President , helping him win a constitutional referendum in July 2023 that could extend his power indefinitely.
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