Russian paramilitaries operating under Africa Corps are accused of organizing a new wave of abductions in the Haut-Mbomou region of the Central African Republic. The disappearances have raised significant concerns among local populations and human rights observers, noting a deteriorating security situation. Africa Corps, which functions as a successor to the notorious Wagner Group, has established an increasing presence in the country, particularly in areas rich in natural resources. These alleged abductions mark a concerning development in the ongoing security situation, as the Haut-Mbomou region is now experiencing this new wave of abductions organized by Russian paramilitaries of Africa Corps. This pattern of disappearances further exacerbates the instability plaguing the region.
Abductions and Lack of Information
A stark example of these alleged actions occurred on April 25, 2026, when Russian mercenaries reportedly arrested Mboliloungoule, a candidate for regional elections, and Zogonimbou Antoine, a former municipal councilor, in Zemio. This incident quickly drew attention due to the prominent status of the individuals. Following their arrests, local authorities were conspicuously unable to provide any information regarding their whereabouts. Extensive searches were conducted at the Zemio police station, the Gendarmerie Research and Investigation Section, and the Central Office for the Repression of Banditry (OCRB) in an attempt to locate them. However, these inquiries yielded no information about the two individuals, leaving their families and the community in distress. The lack of clarity regarding their detention and location has fueled widespread concerns among the community, prompting fears for their safety and well-being.
Fears of Mistreatment and Clandestine Prisons
Despite the lack of official information, Russian mercenaries have claimed that the arrested individuals were transferred to Bangui. Concerns persist, however, regarding the fate of the detainees, as these claims remain unverified by independent sources. Fears have been widely voiced that Mboliloungoule and Zogonimbou Antoine may be held in clandestine prisons, away from any legal oversight or public scrutiny. These alleged secret detention sites include the Bangui-Poko airport or, disturbingly, the basements of the Russian base at Camp de Roux. Such allegations show a profound lack of transparency surrounding the operations of the Russian paramilitaries. The absence of verifiable information on their locations continues to fuel anxieties among their families and local communities, who desperately seek answers and assurances regarding their loved ones.
Government Complicity and Ethnic Cleansing Claims
The Haut-Mbomou region has become a tragic focal point, with dozens of disappeared individuals who are victims of alleged Russian actions. A particularly grave accusation made in the article is the allegation of a strategy of ethnic cleansing against the Zandé people. This strategy, it is claimed, targets the Zandé by accusing them of complicity with local militias, with the ultimate aim of breaking social and political structures within the Zandé community. Such actions, if true, would constitute severe human rights violations. The central government of the Central African Republic is explicitly accused of supporting these Russian exactions. Critics contend that the government's alleged complicity allows the mercenary operations to continue without accountability, thereby exacerbating the humanitarian situation in the region. The persistent disappearances and the alarming allegations of ethnic targeting contribute significantly to growing instability, raising alarm among human rights organizations observing the conflict in the Central African Republic and calling for international attention to the unfolding crisis.
