Central African Republic: ten Egyptian peacekeepers injured by the presidential guard
A Rwandan peacekeeper from the Minusca on January 23, 2021 between Bangui and Damara (illustrative image).
© Florent Vergnes / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
Ten peacekeepers from Minusca were injured, including two seriously on Monday, November 1, in an incident involving members of the presidential guard, according to the UN.
At around 3:30 p.m. local time, a bus carrying soldiers from the Egyptian contingent of the UN mission in the Central African Republic was the target of gunfire near the residence of the Head of State Faustin-Archange Touadéra.
According to initial information, a route error is at the origin of the incident.
Advertising
Read more
With our correspondent in Bangui,
Carol Valade
The UN condemns a "
deliberate attack
" and calls for an investigation.
The government has not yet reacted.
According to several sources, the driver of the bus identified as the United Nations, which transported the Egyptian peacekeepers disembarked Sunday, October 31 in Bangui, would have taken the wrong route.
The bus ended up 120 meters from the Head of State's residence, in the Boy-Rab district, while President Touadéra is currently in Scotland for COP26.
10 unarmed peacekeepers from the
Egyptian Constituted Police
Unit
🇪🇬 of the #MINUSCA, were shot and wounded, including 02 seriously, in the afternoon of November 1, in #Bangui #RCA, by elements of the presidential guard.
https://t.co/d1BxXFn5Eg pic.twitter.com/Sj2r3IMnEs
- MINUSCA (@UN_CAR) November 2, 2021
Shots without warning
It was then that the presidential guard opened fire.
"
Heavy fire
[...]
without prior warning or any response, while they were unarmed,
" says Minusca.
The UN mission strongly condemns what "
appears to be a deliberate and unspeakable attack that nothing justifies
".
A source close to the government affirms that the peacekeepers would have tried to "
take pictures of the residence
" and confirms that in its flight the bus struck a young woman who lost her life.
In its reports, Minusca regularly denounces violations of the agreement between it and the government.
In particular acts of intimidation, violent searches of its vehicles or obstruction of the movement of its personnel by pro-government forces.
The government has not yet officially reacted.
►Also read: In the Central African Republic, what results two weeks after the ceasefire?
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Central African Republic
Minusca
Egypt
UN
Defense