CAR: Villagers in Béboura attack UN forward base on April 9

Event

Villagers in Béboura, Ouham-Pendé, attacked and destroyed a forward base used by UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Thursday, April 9, after a civilian was killed by a UN patrol vehicle in a road accident. According to a Minusca spokesman, approximately 10 to 20 peacekeepers were present at the base and were subsequently evacuated. Two peacekeepers were injured as a result of the attack.

A heightened security presence is possible in Ouham-Pendé over the near term.

Context

The Central African Republic (CAR) has suffered recurrent bouts of civil conflict since December 2012, which has led to hundreds of deaths and almost 700,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), and has pushed more than 500,000 people to seek refuge in neighbouring Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Chad. Clashes between various armed groups continue to be reported, although a peace agreement between armed groups and the government was signed on February 6, 2019.

Advice

Individuals present in Ouham-Pendé 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.