18-24 January 2016

1. Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) carries out attacks near Bria, Bakouma 

"La LRA fait encore des blessés aux environs de Bria." Centrafrique Presse Info (CPI), 19 January 2016. In French. 

• Members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) injured four people and took several people hostage in attacks on villages near Bria in eastern CAR.
• Local sources report that the LRA has been active in the region for at least two weeks.   

"La LRA attaque à Bakouma: deux civils kidnappés et une religieuse torturée." Radio Ndeke Luka, 22 January 2016. In French.

• On the afternoon of 21 January, fighters from the Lord's Resistance Army attacked a church in the town of Bakouma.
• According to local sources, the fighters tortured a nun at the parish and kidnapped two civilians.
• This was the second attack by the LRA this week. On 20 January LRA elements attacked the town of Zémio in the region of Haut Mbomou. 

"RCA: attaques des rebelles de la LRA près de la frontière congolaise." Radio France Internationale (RFI), 23 January 2016. In French. 

• Members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have carried out several attacks on villages near the Congolese border in the past two weeks.
• The most recent attack took place on 21 January in the town of Bakouma.
• About 15 LRA fighters reportedly attacked a church on the outskirts of Bakouma. They stole food, clothes, and electronics from the church. A nun was badly injured by a machete during the attack.
• Hunters and fishermen in Bakouma have indicated that there are more LRA fighters in the area, possibly numbering in the hundreds, and have reported that they are moving toward the town.