BANGUI: Militants Kill Kenyan Police In Horrific Attack In The Central African Republic
On Friday, March 28, a Kenyan military officer was killed while conducting a peacekeeping assignment in the Central African Republic (CAR).
The lone person killed in the ambush was a Kenyan Army commander. In February, he was deployed to the conflict-torn country as a military observer.
The attack was verified in a statement released by the United Nations (UN) Spokesperson’s Office on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres.
According to the statement, the peacekeeper was killed by unknown assailants while on a long-range patrol near the town of Tabane in the Haut-Mbomou prefecture in the southeast Central African Republic.
MINUSCA strongly condemns the ambush carried out yesterday against a MINUSCA Force patrol in the Haut-Mbomou. A Kenyan peacekeeper was killed in this extremely violent attack perpetrated by unidentified armed elements.
— MINUSCA (@UN_CAR) March 29, 2025
🔗https://t.co/3FyNFXTbM3 pic.twitter.com/GlqJTCYs0H
The Central African Republic, or CAR, has been embroiled in sectarian warfare since 2012, when largely Muslim militias clashed with mostly Christian anti-Balaka forces.
As a result, thousands of people died, and many more became dependent on help.
In 2013, armed factions took over the capital, forcing President François Bozizé to leave.
Following a brief period of lessened violence in 2015 and elections in 2016, warfare resumed.
Peace talks began in early 2019 under the auspices of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in CAR, which was led by the African Union (AU) with UN backing.
A deal was reached in Khartoum and formally signed in CAR’s capital, Bangui.
Valentine Rugwabiza, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Head of the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), strongly condemned the ambush on a MINUSCA Force patrol near the village of Tabane, 24 kilometers northwest of Zemio in the Haut-Mbomou prefecture.
My deepest condolences to the government of Kenya and to the family of the @UN_CAR peacekeeper who was killed yesterday while #ServingForPeace.
— Jean-Pierre Lacroix (@Lacroix_UN) March 29, 2025
The perpetrators of this cowardly attack must be held accountable. @UN Peacekeepers are #NotATarget. pic.twitter.com/CorK3hVKab
“A Kenyan peacekeeper was killed in this extremely violent attack perpetrated by unidentified armed elements,” a statement said.
“The Special Representative is extremely shocked by this heinous attack on peacekeepers whose mission is to protect civilians. She extends her deepest condolences to the Government and people of Kenya and expresses her full sympathy to the victim’s family.”
A fast response team has been dispatched to the scene of the event to safeguard the area.
She emphasized that such heinous attacks on the Mission’s peacekeepers will not dissuade MINUSCA’s willingness to carry out its mandate in support of Central African Republic peace and stability.
The UN Security Council issued a statement on Sunday denouncing the incident in CAR, underlining that attacks on peacekeepers may constitute war crimes, and reminded all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law.
Ambassadors urged the government to “swiftly investigate this attack with the support of MINUSCA, promote accountability for such acts, and bring perpetrators to justice.”
Additionally, they shall keep the relevant troop-contributing countries informed of progress in accordance with Security Council resolutions 2518 (2020) and 2589 (2021).
Council members emphasized that any involvement in planning, directing, funding, or carrying out assaults against peacekeepers might result in penalties.
BANGUI: Militants Kill Kenyan Police In Horrific Attack In The Central African Republic
