Panafrican News Agency

Rights group alleges abuses by Russia-linked forces in CAR

Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) – Forces in the Central African Republic (CAR), whom witnesses identified as Russian, appear to have summarily executed, tortured, and beaten civilians since 2019, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.

National authorities, the country’s Special Criminal Court (SCC), or the International Criminal Court (ICC), should investigate these incidents as well as other credible allegations of abuse by Russia-linked forces with a view to criminal prosecution, the human rights watchdog said.

It said in a report that several Western governments, and United Nations experts and special rapporteurs have found evidence that the forces linked to Russia operating in the CAR include a significant number of members of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military security contractor with apparent links to the Russian government.

On April 15, the United Nations announced it would investigate the circumstances in which at least 10 people were killed in the northeast, with some initial reports alleging Russian forces may have been involved.

“There is compelling evidence that Russian-identified forces supporting the Central African Republic’s government have committed grave abuses against civilians with complete impunity,” said Ida Sawyer, crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch. “The failure of the Central African Republic government and its partners to forcefully denounce these abuses, and to identify and prosecute those responsible, will most likely only fuel further crimes in Africa and beyond.” 

Human Rights Watch said between February 2019 and November 2021, it interviewed 21 people in person and 19 others by phone, including 10 victims and 15 witnesses, about abuses they said were committed by men with white skin speaking Russian, a language the witnesses recognised.

Witnesses said that the men were carrying military-grade weapons and wearing beige khaki clothes, scarves to cover their faces, military boots, gloves, and sunglasses.

In August 2018 the CAR and Russian authorities signed an agreement under which "primarily former military officers" from Russia, also called “specialists”, would train CAR forces.

Russia-linked forces in the CAR do not wear a designated uniform with official insignia or other distinguishing features.

The UN says the first training conducted by “Russian instructors” of CAR forces concluded on 31 March, 2018, since when Russia-linked forces have remained in the country.

Former Prime Minister Henri-Marie Dondra, who stepped down in early February 2022, has said that “there is no contract” between his country and “a Russian private security company... only a military cooperation agreement with Russia”.

The current Russian security adviser to President Faustin-Archange Touadera also told Human Rights Watch in November that Russia-linked forces in the CAR had no connection to the Wagner Group.

On May 1, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview with an Italian news channel acknowledged that the Wagner Group “provides security services” to the Malian government and that “this private military company has [also] been invited by the Libyan authorities on a commercial basis, like in Mali”.

-0- PANA MA 3May2022