CAR: United Nations warns of increasing violence

Event

On Tuesday, July 18, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and other humanitarian aid groups warned that violence is increasing in the Central African Republic (CAR). According to UN officials, over 300 people have been killed and 100,000 displaced since May 2017. The city of Bangassou has been particularly affected by the rising violence between the Christian Anti-Balaka militias and Muslim militias. Media sources reported that around 2000 Muslim residents have been forced to take refuge in a local cathedral to avoid the Anti-Balaka fighters. An estimated 150 people have been killed during recent fighting between various armed groups and UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) peacekeepers since May.

Context

Despite a ceasefire signed between 13 rebel groups and the government on June 19 in Rome, clashes remain frequent throughout the country. As of late June of this year, around 100 people had died due to fighting in the northeast town of Bria.

Religious conflicts have ravaged CAR since December 2013. Bangui especially has been gripped by deadly clashes between the Christian Anti-Balaka and Muslim Popular Front for the Renaissance of the Central African Republic (FPRC) militias. The conflict has resulted in hundreds of deaths, created almost 1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), and pushed more than 500,000 people to seek refuge in the neighboring countries of Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Chad.

Advice

Many Western governments advise against travel to the CAR due to these and other security concerns. Travel should only be considered with proper security protocols in place.