UN Security Council condemns attack on UN mission in CAR
New York, US (PANA) - The United Nations Security Council has condemned an attack on the UN mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) on 20 June, in which a Zambian peacekeeper was killed.
The incident, attributed to Sudanese armed elements, occurred in a village in the northeast of this central African country, about thirty kilometers from the town of Birao.
According to the UN, MINUSCA peacekeepers, who were on patrol to protect civilians, were violently targeted.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Council members “expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy to the family of the slain peacekeeper, as well as to the Zambian government”.
The Council recalls that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. It urges the Central African authorities to initiate a prompt investigation, with the support of MINUSCA, to prosecute those responsible, and to keep Zambia informed.
"The members of the Security Council stressed that any involvement in planning, directing, supporting or executing attacks against MINUSCA peacekeepers may justify the imposition of sanctions in accordance with Council resolutions," the statement added.
This is the third deadly attack on the UN mission since the beginning of the year. This trend is considered alarming by Council members, who have denounced a gradual deterioration of the security situation in the northeast of the country.
The fifteen member countries of the Council are particularly concerned about the role played by cross-border illicit trafficking networks, which continue to finance and supply armed groups. They stress the need to intensify investigations to dismantle these networks.
Furthermore, the Security Council warned of the repercussions of the civil war in neighbouring Sudan, particularly in the border areas of northeastern Central African Republic.
Repeated incursions into Central African territory by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been fighting the Sudanese army for over a year, and their possible collaboration with local armed groups, are fuelling regional instability and worsening an already precarious humanitarian situation.
Despite these challenges, the members of the Council reiterated their support for MINUSCA and welcomed the commitment of troop- and police-contributing countries. They emphasised the need to equip the mission with adequate capabilities to fulfill its mandate and ensure the safety of its personnel.
Finally, the Security Council reiterated its support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic, Valentine Rugwabiza, and affirmed its willingness to support the Central African authorities and people in their efforts to establish lasting peace in the country.
-0- PANA MA 25June2025
