CAR Soldiers Unleash Revenge on Local Community After Attack by Rebels
The destruction was targeted, with only the homes and belongings of a particular demographic being ravaged, while those of other communities in the village remained untouched.
For eight days, the Central African Republic army attacked the Tataly village, following the killing of a soldier on March 23 by rebels of the Return, Reclamation, Rehabilitation (3R) movement.
“For two days following the killing of the FACA soldier, his colleagues tried to recover his corpse but were blocked by the 3R rebels. They were eventually forced to call in their Russian mercenary allies of Wagner based in Bocaranga to help them,” a local source in Bocaranga told HumAngle on condition of anonymity.
“On arrival in Tataly, the FACA soldiers and their Russian supporters were not satisfied with recovering the corpse of their colleague but launched a punitive operation, burning down more than ten houses belonging to the mostly Muslim community so far. And the destruction continues,” the source continued.
The fire not only destroyed the houses, but also everything inside them, leaving the owners with nothing. Residents say the destruction was targeted, with only the homes and belongings of the Muslim community being ravaged, while those of other communities in the village remained untouched.
Local opposition leaders believe that the arrival of the Russian mercenaries on the scene in Tataly played a key role in the escalation of the destruction because they were trained by the Wagner security operatives.
“What is happening in Tataly exposes the profound problem within the ranks of the FACA. They have been taught to fight, hit hard…Human rights and respect for the inhabitants seem to be absent from their training. The results: entire families, especially Muslims, are now without shelter and their belongings reduced to ashes. The villagers, boxed in between the rebels and an unpredictable army, no longer know where/who to turn to,” one journalist told HumAngle this morning.
The Tataly village was on March 23 invaded by the Congo forces and militia of the United Hearts Movement (UHM) affiliated to the party in power. Arriving on the pretext of securing the zone, the soldiers and UHM operatives started looting from houses and chasing away their occupants. The desperate people were forced to call the 3R rebels for assistance. On arrival of the rebels, clashes broke out with the FACA and UHM fighters leading to the burning down of houses and properties.
The Central African Republic army launched an eight-day attack on the village of Tataly following the killing of a soldier on March 23 by 3R movement rebels.
Despite the initial attempt to recover the soldier's body being thwarted, the army, aided by Russian mercenaries from Wagner, conducted a punitive operation, devastating over ten homes belonging to the Muslim community while sparing others.
The destruction and escalation involving Russian mercenaries reveal issues within the army, notably the lack of training in human rights and respect for inhabitants. This has led to significant displacement and despair among the local Muslim population, caught between rebels and an unpredictable army.
Furthermore, the involvement of the United Hearts Movement militia, affiliated with the ruling party, exacerbated tensions, resulting in looting and more violence.
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