Mahamat Said Abdel Kani is accused of leading a rebel group that ousted the president of the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2013; he pleaded not guilty to charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes (AP)
Top CAR Court Denies President’s Plan to Remove Term Limits
The top court in the Central African Republic annulled a commission installed by President Faustin-Archange Touadera to draft constitutional reforms, including a provision to remove presidential term limits, denying his bid to remain in power (Reuters)
UN Relaxes Arms Embargo on Central African Republic
The UN Security Council voted to relax its arms embargo against the Central African Republic, which sought a complete lifting of the ban on the sale and transfer of weapons and ammunition (ABC)
UN: Rebels Kill Ten Civilians in Central African Republic
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic said that rebel forces killed ten civilians in the Bokolobo village (Agence France-Presse)
Human Rights Watch: Russian Mercenaries Executed CAR Civilians
According to a new report from Human Rights Watch, Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group tortured and executed civilians in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2021 (Al Jazeera)
Peace Talks in CAR End With Little Progress
Peace talks in the Central African Republic (CAR) ended today without making progress. The country has been embroiled in civil war since 2013 (Agence France-Presse)
Rebel Attack in CAR Leaves Five People Dead
Five people were killed in the Central African Republic (CAR) after rebels attacked an army base near the borders with Chad and Cameroon (Al Jazeera)
Chad Hands Over Former CAR Militia Leader to ICC
Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka of the Central African Republic (CAR) is suspected of committing war crimes including murder, torture, and forced disappearances in 2013 and 2014. He became the CAR’s minister for disarmament and demobilization in 2019 (Agence France-Presse)
Central African Republic Releases Four UN Peacekeepers
The Central African Republic (CAR) released four French Foreign Legion members of the country’s UN peacekeeping force, who were accused on social media of planning to assassinate CAR’s President Faustin Archange Touadera (Agence France Presse)
France, United States Criticize Russian Mercenaries in the Central African Republic
The United States and France accused Russian mercenaries, employed by the security company Wagner, of executing civilians, attacking UN peacekeepers, and targeting predominantly Muslim communities in the Central African Republic during a U.N. Security Council meeting (Associated Press)
New Prime Minister in Central African Republic Appointed
Henri-Marie Dondra, former prime minister of Central African Republic (CAR), was replaced by economy minister Felix Molua amid increasing tensions between pro-Russian and pro-French factions within the CAR government (Agence France Presse)
United Nations Launches Probe Into Alleged Killings in Central African Republic
The United Nations begun an investigation into the alleged killings of more than thirty civilians in the Central African Republic last week by government forces and Russian mercenaries (Al Jazeera)
UN Forces Militants From Town in CAR
The United Nations reported that its peacekeepers expelled scores of militants from the Central African Republic town of Boyo, where they had taken over people’s homes (UN News)
Egyptian Peacekeepers Wounded in Mission to the Central African Republic (CAR)
The UN mission to CAR accused the country’s presidential guard of opening fire on unarmed UN personnel, wounding ten Egyptian peacekeepers. The government refutes these accusations (Reuters)
Vice President of Mali’s Interim Parliament Arrested
The United Nations has restarted a voluntary repatriation process for refugees from the Central African Republic (CAR) to return from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after the program was paused nearly a year ago (Voice of America)
Central African Republic Announces Ceasefire in Fight With Armed Groups
President Faustin Archange Touadéra announced a unilateral ceasefire with armed groups—a move reportedly welcomed by the main rebel alliance, the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) (Reuters)
Central African Republic War Crimes Suspect Faces ICC Accusations
Former Central African Republic “Seleka” faction commander Mahamat Said Abdel Kain stands trial this week at The Hague, where he faces accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in 2013 (Reuters)
Insurgents Kill Twelve People in Central African Republic
Rebel fighters linked to the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) set fire to three passenger-carrying semi-trucks, killing twelve people and injuring more in a road ambush (Reuters)
UN Withdraws 450 Peacekeepers from Central African Republic Over Reported Sexual Abuse
The United Nations elected to withdraw 450 Gabonese peacekeepers from the Central African Republic following numerous allegations of sexual abuse against the Gabonese contingent (France 24)
UN Report: Russian Mercenaries Driving Wars Crimes in CAR
A UN investigation found that Russian mercenaries deployed alongside the military of the Central African Republic killed civilians at a mosque earlier this year and engaged in widespread looting and shows of excessive force, among other abuses (New York Times)
CAR Prime Minister, Cabinet Resign
The Central African Republic’s prime minister, Firmin Ngrebada, and entire cabinet have resigned. The political crisis comes as France announced it would suspend military operations in the country (Al Jazeera)
France Suspends Support to CAR
France suspended financial and military support to the Central African Republic (CAR), which France said failed to uphold political commitments and participated in a Russia-backed disinformation campaign against France’s presence in Africa (RFI)
Armed Group in CAR to Leave Rebel Coalition
The Unity for Peace in Central Africa (UPC), one of the most powerful armed groups in the Central African Republic, vowed to quit a rebel coalition trying to unseat President Faustin Archange Touadera. The UPC reiterated its commitment to the 2019 peace agreement signed with the government (France 24)
CAR Holds Legislative Elections
The Central African Republic held a second round of legislative elections yesterday after violence by rebels troubled the December elections. Only a few polling stations were unable to open because of security concerns, a National Elections Authority spokesperson said (Reuters)
CAR Pro-government Forces Take Control of Town
The Central African Republic’s government said its military took over the western town of Bossangoa with help from Russian and Rwandan troops. The community was one of several captured by rebels loyal to former President Francois Bozize after he was prohibited from running in the December presidential election (Reuters)