A United Nations peacekeeper has been killed in the Central African Republic (CAR) after armed militants ambushed a MINUSCA patrol near the country’s northern border with Sudan, the UN confirmed on Tuesday.
The attack, which occurred on Friday, was reportedly carried out by suspected Sudanese armed groups who opened fire on peacekeeping troops operating in the area.
The slain soldier was a member of the Zambian contingent serving under the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).
Another peacekeeper was injured in the assault and is currently receiving treatment.
In a statement, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the Security Council had expressed deep concern over the growing number of attacks targeting peacekeepers in CAR, warning that continued violence undermines stabilisation efforts.
Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack, calling on authorities to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
This incident marks the third major attack on UN peacekeepers in CAR since the beginning of the year, as armed groups continue to clash with national and international forces for control of strategic territories.
CAR has been plagued by instability since 2013, when Muslim-majority rebel groups ousted former President François Bozizé.
Although a peace agreement was signed in 2019, violence has resurfaced as six of the fourteen signatory armed factions have withdrawn from the deal.
The country also became one of the earliest African states to host Russian-backed security operatives assisting government forces.
However, these groups have been accused of human rights violations and, in some areas, complicating an already fragile security landscape.