UN report documents human rights violations against Muslims in Central African Republic
A recent United Nations report has documented serious human rights violations committed by armed groups in the Central African Republic (CAR), including one linked to the national armed forces. The report, published by the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in CAR (MINUSCA) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, details abuses against Muslim communities, refugees, and Sudanese asylum seekers in the country’s southeast.
According to the findings, at least 24 people were killed in coordinated attacks by the Wagner Ti Azande group, which has ties to the national army. Some victims were summarily executed, while others were subjected to sexual violence, forced labor, torture, and inhumane treatment. The report also highlights incidents of looting targeting homes and businesses.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called for accountability, emphasizing that such crimes “must not go unpunished” to prevent future violations. He urged transparency regarding the Wagner Ti Azande group’s operations and its connection to the military, adding that if its legality cannot be established, the group should be disarmed.
The report describes attacks in Dimbia and Rafaï in October 2024, where armed assailants targeted Fulani Muslims and Sudanese asylum seekers. Witness accounts indicate that a 36-year-old Fulani man was publicly executed, and seven others were thrown alive into a river. Additionally, 24 women and girls were victims of sexual violence.
Further violence was reported in Mboki in January 2025, where at least 12 people were killed in an attack on a Fulani camp. Authorities have since arrested 14 alleged perpetrators. The UN urged CAR’s government to investigate these incidents and prosecute those responsible, stressing that limited security presence in some regions has contributed to impunity.
