24 - 30 August 2015

1. Forty-two people killed in truck attack in Bambari

Gondamoyen, Jean-Louis. “Central African Republic Militia Kills 42 People in Truck Attack.” Bloomberg, 25 August 2015. In English.

• According to a Red Cross official, at least 42 people traveling in a truck through central CAR were killed by Seleka militants in the Bambari region.
• The bodies were found in a village in habited by Seleka rebels.
• A Seleka general in Bambari, Ali Ndaras, blamed anti-balaka militants who he said were on board the truck and fired on his men.

2. Thousands displaced following violence in Bambari

“RCA: les violences intercommunautaires se poursuivent à Bambari.” Radio France Internationale (RFI), 24 August 2015. In French.

•  Intercommunal violence broke out in the city of Bambari on 20 August after a Muslim youth was killed, resulting in the deaths of several people. Fighting again occurred on Sunday 23 August, leaving at least five people dead and a dozen others injured, according to one source.
• The fighting took place between Muslim or ex-Seleka youth and Christian or anti-balaka groups. A humanitarian source said that the sounds of gunshots, rockets, and grenade blasts were heard throughout the day on 23 August.
• A religious leader in the area reported that many inhabitants of Bambari fled into the bush out of fear of the armed groups.

Essa, Azad. “Central African Republic: Clashes force 5,000 to Flee After Beheading.” Al Jazeera, via AllAfrica, 28 August 2015. In English.

• Approximately 5,000 people have reportedly fled the city of Bambari after violence broke out between anti-balaka and ex-Seleka militias following the beheading of a Muslim youth on 20 August.
• A spokesman for the UN’s refugee agency said that this latest fighting is evidence of how fragile the country remains.
• Peter Bouckaert, the emergency director at Human Rights Watch, also warned that the war is not over in CAR, despite a decrease in violence in recent months. He criticized the viability of holding elections in the country, due to continued instability and the difficulty of registering refugee and rural populations.

3. Five people killed in Bria

“Cinq morts et huits blessés dans un incident à Bria.” Centrafrique Presse Info (CPI), 25 August 2015. In French.

• On 24 August a young man was shot by armed Peuhl herders about 30 kilometers from Bria, and died from his injuries. A member of the Peuhl community was then killed in a reprisal attack.
• These incidents caused wider violence to break out in Bria, resulting in five people killed, eight injured, and five homes being burned.
• When contacted, a spokesman for MINUSCA confirmed the incident but said that the UN peacekeepers were in control of the town.