The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned today’s attacks that left one Rwandan peacekeeper killed and another injured by armed groups near Bangui in the Central African Republic (CAR).
The attack on CAR national defense and security forces, and the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) was repelled by the joint forces.
During this coordinated attack, the armed elements directly targeted the peacekeepers deployed on these various axes leading to the capital.
The Secretary-General recalled that attacks against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute a war crime. He called on the CAR authorities to take all the necessary measures to ensure accountability for these heinous attacks.
Head of MINUSCA, Mankeur Ndiaye also expressed his sincere condolences to his family and to the contingent and the Rwandan government of the peacekeeper who fell in the service of peace.
Another Rwandan MINUSCA soldier was killed in an ambush in CAR in July of last year.
The struggling CAR organized an election last month that saw incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadera re-elected in the December 27 poll, garnering over 53% of the vote in the first round, according to provisional results announced by the electoral commission.
