The capital of the Central African Republic saw another outbreak of violence over the weekend.
According to the Fides news agency, the conflict unfolded in this way:
«During the night between Friday, September 25 and Saturday 26, a young Muslim was killed in a ‘Christian’ neighborhood in the capital. On Saturday morning, his body was taken to the Central Mosque in Bangui. The reaction was not long in coming: on Saturday morning, a group of Muslims poured into the neighborhood where the young boy was killed and began firing; a dozen people were killed and 40 wounded. The population began to flee, seeking refuge in camps: about 3,000-4,000 people fled their homes.
«In the early afternoon of Saturday, the ‘anti-Balaka’ militias fought back, devastating the headquarters of the Muslim radio; Muslim militias responded by plundering the premises of the nearby parish of St. Michel (the pastor was at the Cathedral for a meeting) and Pastor Nicolas Guerekoyame Gbangou’s house (leader of the interreligious Platform together with Archbishop, Mgr. Dieudonné Nzapalainga, and Imam Oumar Kobine Layama) who was returning from a trip abroad. The clashes continued all afternoon and caused other deaths and injuries.
International forces of MINUSCA were surprised by the events, they were not able to assess the extent and did not react, limiting themselves to strengthening the protection of their facilities in the afternoon.
«In the evening, hospital sources allowed to make an initial assessment: 21 dead and 110 wounded, but the Red Cross warned that the toll was set to worsen.»
