Three UN peacekeepers wounded after armed fighters attack base in Central African Republic

Fighters from Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and former Seleka rebels attacked a United Nations base near the Sudan border in the Central African Republic on Tuesday, wounding three Zambian peacekeepers, the UN said.

The UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) strongly condemned the early morning assault on its base in the town of Am Dafock, a volatile border area in the impoverished country.

The mission said three Zambian peacekeepers were injured, including one who suffered serious wounds.

Valentine Rugwabiza, the UN secretary-general’s special representative for the Central African Republic, warned that attacks targeting peacekeepers “may constitute war crimes under international law.”

Am Dafock sub-prefect Ramadan Abdelkader told AFP that former Seleka fighters and RSF elements from Sudan carried out the attack, claiming that 22 people had been killed.

“We are requesting as many reinforcements as possible from the authorities,” Abdelkader said, adding that severely injured peacekeepers were being evacuated on UN aircraft for medical treatment.

He also said that later “Russian allies” carried out air strikes against the attackers, though he did not clarify whether the strikes helped authorities regain control of the town.

Am Dafock is a strategically important crossing point on the border between the Central African Republic and Sudan. The area has frequently faced attacks and armed group movements linked to instability on both sides of the border.

The violence comes amid Sudan’s ongoing civil war, which began in April 2023 and has increased the presence and activity of armed groups, including the RSF, in border regions.