CAR: Deadly clashes in PK5 district of Bangui October 2

Event

Clashes took place between two local self-defense groups in the PK5 district of the capital Bangui on Tuesday, October 2. At least three people were killed and two others injured in the exchange of fire. Shops in the district closed amid the violence and continued closures are possible October 3 and into the coming days. Tensions remain high in the area and further clashes are possible.

Context

Tensions rose significantly in Bangui following attacks that targeted a church and a mosque on May 1, leaving 24 people dead and more than 170 wounded. Numerous clashes had also broken out in the city in the preceding weeks, notably in the PK5 neighborhood. This was despite a series of security operations carried out by the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA in PK5 in April targeting Muslim self-defense militias at the request of local residents following reports of violence and extortion. The situation had however calmed since July 2018.

The Central African Republic (CAR) has suffered recurrent bouts of civil conflict since December 2012, which has led to hundreds of deaths, 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.

Advice

Individuals present in CAR, particularly Bangui, are advised to monitor local developments, maintain a high degree of situational awareness, and remain vigilant for potential militant activity.

In general, a number of Western governments advise their citizens against travel to most of the east of the country for various security reasons, including the presence of armed groups.