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UNITED NATIONS | 23 June 2025 – UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned a deadly attack on United Nations peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR), which killed a Zambian peacekeeper and wounded another. The incident marks the third fatal assault on UN personnel in CAR since the start of 2025.
In a statement issued Sunday, Guterres expressed grave concern over the repeated targeting of peacekeeping forces and called on CAR authorities to “spare no effort in identifying the perpetrators so that they can be brought to justice swiftly.”
The attack was carried out by unidentified armed elements against two personnel from the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). Guterres warned that such assaults may constitute war crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute, which prohibits intentional attacks on humanitarian or peacekeeping missions operating under the UN Charter.
Escalating Violence Against Peacekeepers
Valentine Rugwabiza, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of MINUSCA, also condemned the attack, noting the increasing frequency and severity of assaults on UN personnel.
“This is the third deadly attack against MINUSCA patrols since the beginning of 2025,” she stated.
Earlier this month, two Nepalese peacekeepers were injured near Zémio. In March, a Kenyan peacekeeper was killed in the country’s southeast, and in February, a Tunisian blue helmet died during another ambush. Since MINUSCA’s deployment, 208 peacekeepers have lost their lives in service.
Worsening Security and Human Rights Conditions
The security situation in CAR continues to deteriorate, fueled by intercommunal violence, militia activity, and the regional spillover of the Sudan conflict. Attacks on Muslim communities and Sudanese refugees have raised serious concerns about potential human rights violations and ethnic targeting.
The influx of Sudanese refugees has added to the humanitarian crisis, with thousands fleeing into CAR amid ongoing regional instability. Despite MINUSCA’s presence, the country continues to grapple with impunity, weak institutions, and limited accountability for war crimes, although some recent convictions against former combatants have taken place.
Upcoming Elections Amid Fragile Stability
CAR is scheduled to hold national elections in 2025, which are seen as a potential step toward long-term peace. Rugwabiza emphasized that free, fair, and transparent elections could address some of the root causes of conflict, including political exclusion and poor governance.
However, she also cautioned that persistent violence and insecurity continue to threaten the rule of law and undermine the prospects for lasting stability in the country.
MINUSCA, established in 2014, remains one of the UN’s largest and most dangerous peacekeeping operations, mandated to support the protection of civilians, facilitate humanitarian access, and assist with the peace process in CAR.
