Renewed conflict in Central African Republic

Videos and Photos14 April 2017
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Jean, 84, left Nasima on 6 Decembre 2016 with his family to find shelter at Aviation IDP camp. “There was infighting between the UPC and FPRC near the village and there was a rumour that they were burning villages, so we fled. My son went back later to see what was left. All had been burned. I would like to go back to my village, but I have no money left to pay for transportation”. Jean’s son provides for his survival. Photo: Colin Delfosse 

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Karim, 26, father of two. “I’ve been disabled for several years now. When the conflict resumed on 21 November 2016, everybody fled to hide, but I couldn’t. I was seated in front of the house. My mother ran to me despite the bullets, and she got me into the house. I was hit by four bullets in the back. My mother risked her life that day. My wounds worsened my handicap: I can’t stand now, even with the help of a stick. Everything has become very complicated for me in the past four months” Photo: Colin Delfosse 

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Catherine, 16, fled her village with her parents and her fourteen brothers and sisters after it was burned. They found shelter in the village of Ngoubi's school, 18km from Bria. Photo: Colin Delfosse

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Gervais, 25, from Ippy. “A group of five of us went out hunting. After the hunt, we came back to the camp, fixed dinner and got some rest. I was lying down when heavily armed Peuhls (Fulanis) attacked us. They arrived via the river so as not to be noticed and started shooting at us. My four companions escaped and I took the bullets: one broke my arm, the second went through my hip and the third wounded my right leg. They took us by surprise so it was difficult to know how many there were. My companions had abandoned me and I was left with no help. I held my broken arm to my chest. It took me a lot of energy to get back to the village; I vomited and bled, I was tired, worn out. My hunting companions had alerted the village and by the evening, my parents came to look for me”. Photo: Colin Delfosse 

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  Portrait of Souleymane Ouattara, a health promoter with Doctors Without Borderes (MSF) in Bangassou. Photo: Borja Ruiz Rodriguez/MSF

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Bangassou, CAR. Portrait of Mamane Bassirou, MSF field finance manager. Photo: Borja Ruiz Rodriguez/MSF

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Jamila, widow from Bria. “My husband was killed at home on the 21 November 2016 when the neighbourhood was attacked. I stay here with my six children, with no help whatsoever. Without my husband, I don’t know how to feed my family. We’re afraid to leave the neighbourhood, we don’t have freedom anymore. We have suffered a lot in the past four months. At night we don’t sleep, we fear renewed attacks.” Photo: Colin Delfosse 

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Since the military and political conflict started in the Central African Republic (CAR) in late 2012 armed groups have continued to proliferate and factionalise, and despite general elections being held and some sort of “normalcy” having  been achieved in Bangui (with sporadic outbreaks of violence) and other parts of CAR, several provinces are effectively under the control of armed groups.

The conflict in CAR is flaring up yet again, becoming both more widespread geographically in the area of Bria and Bambari and causing more deaths, more wounded and more displacement amongst the civilian population.

Find out more about the situation in Central African Republic.