CAR: At least one civilian killed as peacekeepers battle militia July 17 in Mbomou

Event

A UN spokesman said on Wednesday, July 18, that at least one civilian was killed and more than 20 more injured amid fighting between UN peacekeepers and an anti-Balaka militia in Mbomou province on Tuesday, July 17. The UN reported that the skirmish began when UN troops responded to an anti-Balaka militia attack on Pombolo village. Three peacekeepers were injured in the clash; as of July 18, the extent of anti-Balaka militia casualties was unknown.

Context

The Central African Republic (CAR) has suffered recurrent bouts of civil conflict since December 2012 which has led to hundreds of deaths, created almost 700,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), and pushed more than 500,000 people to seek refuge in neighboring Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Chad. Clashes between various armed groups continue to be reported on a regular basis despite the June 2017 signing of a ceasefire agreement between CAR government and 13 out of the 14 rebel groups present in the country.

Numerous Western governments have issued updated travel advisories in recent months due to the current degraded security situation. On April 10, France issued an advisory, recommending its citizens avoid all nonessential travel to the country. Also on April 10, the US issued a security alert urging their citizens to avoid the capital Bangui's PK5 neighborhood and 7th arrondissement. On April 12, the UK began advising against nonessential travel to central Bangui and against all travel to the rest of the country.

Advice

Individuals present in CAR are advised to monitor local developments, maintain a high degree of situational awareness, and remain vigilant for potential militant activity. A number of Western governments advise their citizens against travel to the east and northeast of the country for various security reasons, including the presence of armed groups and ongoing conflicts.