Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

UN peacekeepers attacked in Central African Republic

Six UN peacekeepers were injured during an attack by unknown assailants who opened fire on a patrol northeast of the capital Bangui, amid a flareup of violence after months of relative calm.

United Nations peacekeepers in the center of the Central African Republic capital Bangui
United Nations peacekeepers in the center of the Central African Republic capital Bangui on October 8, 2014.

The new UN peacekeeping MINUSCA force, in a statement late Saturday, condemned Friday's attack, which came a day after another UN peacekeeper was killed near Bangui.  

   

The latest attack was carried out by "armed elements who opened fire on a MINUSCA police patrol... leaving four blue helmets injured".

   

Such attacks "must cease immediately" the statement continued, calling for a "durable peace".

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

   

"It is unacceptable that the blue helmets, who come from various places, should become the target of attack," it added, without giving the nationalities of those injured.

   

A UN peacekeeper from Pakistan was killed, and nine others injured, near the capital on Thursday.

   

It was the first peacekeeper death of the mission that deployed last month in the Central African Republic, taking over from African-led troops that were sent after a March 2013 coup plunged the country into bloodshed and chaos.

   

Bangui has been rocked by days of violence pitting the city's Muslim and Christian populations, leaving at least seven people dead and many dozens wounded, according to UN sources in Bangui.

   

The fresh spate of violence was apparently ignited by a grenade attack in a Bangui street blamed on a Muslim assailant on a motorbike, followed by the murder of a taxi driver allegedly by Muslim gunmen who set fire to several houses.

   

The UN's 130,000 troops, police and civilian staff serving in missions worldwide are being drawn into more complex conflicts while being tasked with enforcing fragile peace deals.


2 min read

Published

Source: AFP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world