The United Nations has issued a strong call for accountability following a series of severe human rights violations in the Central African Republic (CAR), committed by armed groups in recent months.
In a report released by the UN Human Rights Office and the peacekeeping mission MINUSCA, the organization emphasized the need for justice to prevent further abuses. The findings detailed a disturbing pattern of violence, with at least 24 people killed in two coordinated attacks in the Mbomou and Haut-Mbomou prefectures of Haut-Oubangui, occurring in October last year and again in January. Some of the victims were reportedly executed without trial.
The report links the assaults to Wagner Ti Azandé (WTA), an armed faction with known ties to the national military. Originally part of another militia, Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé, WTA members were found to have played a direct role in the deadly raids.
“These armed groups, including one with connections to the country’s military, are responsible for grave human rights violations, particularly targeting Muslim communities and Sudanese refugees,” stated Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The documented abuses go beyond killings. The report details cases of gang rape, forced labor, torture, and other inhumane treatment, as well as widespread looting of homes and businesses.
Al-Kheetan insisted that these horrific crimes must not be ignored, reaffirming the UN’s commitment to assisting CAR authorities in safeguarding human rights and ensuring perpetrators face justice.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged CAR authorities to clarify any ties between the national military and the WTA group, calling for full transparency. “If such links cannot be severed, then the group must be disarmed,” Türk asserted.
The Central African Republic has long struggled with political instability and ethnic and religious violence. UN assessments indicate that nearly one in five people in the country has been displaced, either internally or as refugees. The ongoing conflict has devastated essential infrastructure, leaving schools and hospitals in ruins.
In response to the worsening crisis, MINUSCA has increased efforts to protect civilians and restore state authority in affected regions, hoping to curb further violence and stabilize the country.
