3 Herders Die In Clashes Between 3R Rebels And Russian Mercenaries In CAR
Fighting continues as FACA soldiers and allies continue to face 3R rebels in the Central African Republic.
Three herdsmen have been killed in the ongoing violent clashes between Return, Reclamation and Rehabilitation (3R) rebels and Russian mercenaries assisted by soldiers of the Central African Republic national army, FACA.
The clashes, which began in Koui in the northwest of the country on Friday, Aug. 20, have been continuing as of the time of filing this report.
The current clashes were believed to be a retaliatory expedition by the Russian mercenaries and their FACA allies following repeated ambushes by the 3R rebels in the regions of Ouham-Pende, Lim-Pende and Nana-Mambere.
“The Russian mercenaries and the FACA forces had begun preparing for this massive expedition since Aug. 13, 2021 when heavily armed Russian mercenaries arrived in eight trucks, followed last Friday by 14 other vehicles full of Russian mercenaries, others on 40 motorbikes and four helicopters which arrived in Koui,” a senior military officer who opted for anonymity told HumAngle.
“It was during mopping operations that the FACA and Wagner mercenaries came into confrontation with the 3R rebels leading to the serious fighting that is still going on.”
According to the presidency of the Central African Republic, about 2,000 soldiers including 750 Russian mercenaries and more than 300 Rwandan soldiers have been deployed for the current operation against 3R rebels who are members of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) in the northwest of the country.
A few hours after the assembling of the FACA, Russian and Rwandan forces, heavy operations were launched against 3R positions in the Ouham-Pende, Lim-Pende and Nana-Mambere regions.
“The four helicopters in the expedition first pounded the 3R positions in Koui before the land troops moved in for mopping up operations which are still continuing. One of the four helicopters was hit and is currently out of use,” the military sources revealed.
Since the clashes began, three Peul herdsmen have been killed in their camp and their cattle were bombarded by the Russian mercenaries.
So far, no casualties have been reported on both sides of the fighting forces as fierce fighting continues.
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