Russian Mercenaries Kill Central African Republic Army Officer

A lieutenant of the Central African Republic national army, FACA, Amady Jeremy, has been allegedly killed by Russian mercenaries in the country.

Lt. Jeremy was killed on Wednesday, Dec. 29, by Russian mercenaries in Bouka, a locality situated about 285 kilometres to the north of Bangui the capital.

According to the high command of the Central African Republic army, the incident was caused by a communication breakdown between the FACA and their Russian allies.

The lieutenant was said by the army to have been mistaken for a combatant of the Anti-Balaka militia who had attempted attacking a FACA position while they were carrying out mopping-up operations. 

But a family member of the late army officer  said the story by the army is far from the truth.

“There is something that does not click in their story,” countered a family member who opted for anonymity. 

“The lieutenant had left Bangui Dec. 28 afternoon to go and collect the corpse of a FACA soldier who died from an illness, but on his arrival about a kilometre to the entrance to the town at about 10 p.m., he was killed by Russian mercenaries who opened fire on his vehicle.”

The army had insisted  that the lieutenant was driving at night with only one light on, which caused the Russian mercenaries to mistake the vehicle for a motorcycle.

“That is how Russian mercenaries kill innocent citizens. If you are seen alone on a motorcycle, there is always the strong probability that they will kill you to take your bike, search your dead body and take your money,” said a local who declined to be named in the media.

“Unfortunately, it is always these brave soldiers and our civilian compatriots who pay the high price of this criminality organised with impunity by these Russian mercenaries.”

The corpse of the late lieutenant arrived in Bangui on Wednesday at 5 p.m. and has been kept in the centre town mortuary in the capital.

The sub prefecture of Bouka, situated in Ouham-Fafa has been the centre of action between  security forces and Anti-Balaka militia, who are members of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC).

Last week, two persons were killed by Anti-Balaka in the same locality.

Dieudonne Ndomata, who is a former leader of the Anti-Balaka who had joined the ranks of the CPC was arrested in Bouka by security forces and transferred to the research and investigation section of the gendarmerie in Bangui, before being finally interned in the Ngaragba central prison.