Three militia rebels were killed last week in the Western Central African Republic in clashes with the peacekeeping forces, according to the UN mission in the country.
UN peacekeepers from Rwanda battled an attack by the 3R armed group on Friday in Gedze, Nana-Mambere Prefecture, said MINUSCA spokesperson Charles Bambara in a statement late Wednesday.
The 3R militia announced last month that it was suspending its participation in a peace deal signed last year by the Central African Government and the rebel groups.
Since then, the MINUSCA has conducted a military campaign to combat the progress of the armed group.
A Rwandan peacekeeper was killed in a 3R attack in mid-July, the UN mission reported.
“To date, MINUSCA peacekeepers have regained control of NIEM (Nana-Mambere) chasing the 3R elements who avoided combat. The advancement of (Central African armed forces and) MINUSCA troops continues in areas previously under 3R control,” MINUSCA wrote on Twitter.
The casket bearing the remains of Rwandan peacekeeper, Sergeant Major Nsabiyaremye Edouard, arrived in Rwanda from Central African Republic on 21 July 2020. He will be laid to rest at Kanombe Military Cemetery on Friday, 24 July 2020.https://t.co/bsm7540jCe pic.twitter.com/c0MkiPjgzE
— Rwanda Defence Force (@RwandaMoD) July 23, 2020
One of the poorest and most unstable nations in the world, the CAR has experienced numerous violent crises since 2003 when former President Francois Bozize took power in a coup.
Since Bozize was overthrown in 2013 , the country spiraled into bloodshed.
Since then, Violence has forced almost a quarter of the country’s 4.5 million people to flee their homes, with competing militia groups occupying most of the region.
One of the UN ‘s largest peacekeeping missions, MINUSCA has more than 13,000 troops and police in support of the elected president, Faustin-Archange Touadera.
The presidential election is scheduled to take place in December 2020.