Central African Troops, Russians Inflicted Abuse In Central Africa, Says UN Expert

Government forces and Russian allies in the Central African Republic have abused civilians, and Russian operatives have hampered peacekeeping operations there, a UN rights expert said on February 20. “Government forces were responsible for arbitrary arrests and detentions, violations of the right to life, physical and mental integrity, ” UN expert Yao Agbetse said after a 10-day visit. He said Russian forces — which have been in the impoverished country since 2018 — “continue to inflict cruel, inhuman, humiliating, and degrading treatment on the civilian population.” The former French colony spiraled into civil war following a 2013 coup.

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