Central African Republic: resumption of deadly hostilities along the borders with Chad and Sudan

A coalition of armed groups affiliated with the Popular Front for the Renaissance of Central Africa (FPRC) led by Nourredine Adam and the Democratic Movement for the Rally of the Central African People (MDRPC) led by Arda Hakouma attacked the town of Am-Dafock in the Vakaga prefecture in northeastern Central African Republic on the morning of June 30, 2026, around 4:35 a.m., according to a statement from the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). The attackers also targeted the MINUSCA’s temporary operations base in the area. Three Zambian peacekeepers were injured, one of them seriously, during a civilian protection patrol.

According to local sources interviewed by Radio Ndeke Luka, the attack resulted in at least 28 deaths and 25 injuries, with the most serious cases evacuated to hospitals in Birao and Bria. These figures have not been confirmed by an official report from the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) nor by MINUSCA. Hundreds of residents fled to the UN base, abandoning their homes. The town of Am-Dafock is located 60 kilometers northeast of Birao, the capital of the Vakaga prefecture, in a border area with Sudan.

The Deputy Prefect of Am-Dafock, Ramadan Abdelkader, told AFP that the attackers included elements of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from Sudan alongside fighters from the former Séléka coalition. In its statement from June 30, MINUSCA mentioned “unidentified armed elements” outside of the FPRC and the MDRPC, without confirming the presence of the RSF.

Conflicting Reports on Control of the Town

The spokesperson for the Central African government, Evariste Ngamana, stated on Wednesday, July 1, that the attackers had retreated and that Am-Dafock was completely under the control of government forces. The governor of the Fertit region, Thierry Évariste Binguinendji, confirmed a return to calm while reporting deaths, injuries, and several dozen displaced persons.

These official statements contrast with testimonies collected on site by Radio Ndeke Luka, suggesting that three days after the attack, rebels were still crossing the border from Sudan to conduct incursions into Am-Dafock before leaving again. A resident seeking refuge in the MINUSCA sub-base reported that the body of the FACA brigade commander and those of several soldiers still lay at the site. Communications between Am-Dafock and Bangui remained difficult at the time of this report, leaving the town cut off from the rest of the country.

According to local testimonies, administrative buildings, homes, and health structures have been looted, limiting access to care. Residents seeking refuge in the UN base reported the deaths of two children.

Reaction from Touadéra and Condemnations

In a statement published on July 2 on the presidency’s page, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra described the attack as an act committed by foreign fighters and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to working towards a return to normalcy. The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Valentine Rugwabiza, recalled that attacks against peacekeepers can constitute war crimes and called on those responsible to immediately cease hostilities.

The Central African civil society, the National Assembly, and the Union of Democratic Forces of the Opposition (UFDO) also condemned the attack. The opposition, voiced through former Prime Minister Martin Ziguélé, denounced what it termed the government’s security failure in the northeastern part of the country. MINUSCA reported deploying air resources to evacuate the injured and bolster its presence.

Am-Dafock is a border crossing point with Sudan that has been regularly targeted by incursions from armed groups since the onset of the Central African crisis in 2013. The Vakaga prefecture is among the least accessible areas of the Central African territory, located over 900 kilometers northeast of Bangui by land.