UNITED NATIONS – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hasstrongly condemned an attack by elements of two rebel groups in the CentralAfrican Republic (CAR) against a UN Mission patrol on the Ndele-Birao axisof the strife-torn country that resulted in injuries to one Pakistanipeacekeeper.
In a statement, the UN chief wished speedy recovery to the Pakistanisoldier, whose name was not released.
The Secretary-General warned that attacks targeting United Nationspeacekeepers may constitute a war crime under international law.
Pakistani troops are part of the United Nations Multidimensional IntegratedStabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).
A UN Spokesman said at UN Headquarters in New York that peacekeepers in theCentral African Republic are continuing patrols in and around the city ofNdele, the area where one Pakistani blue helmet was injured on Sunday.
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The patrols are conducted in coordination with the country’s gendarmerie,to protect the population and prevent new clashes.
The mineral-rich Central African Republic has faced deadly inter-religiousand inter-communal fighting since 2013, when predominantly Muslim Selekagroup seized power in the capital, Bangui. Mostly Christian anti-Balakamilitias hit back, resulting in the killing of thousands and thedisplacement of thousands more.
The country saw a period of relative peace in late 2015 and 2016, butviolence intensified and spread afterward. In February 2019, the governmentsigned a peace agreement with 14 armed groups, but some armed groups didnot sign and since then there have been intermittent serious incidents.
