The United Nations (UN) has warned of “war crimes” in Boyo in 2021 and accused the Central African armed forces.
The UN has accused the Central African army of “arming militiamen” who attacked the village of Boyo, located 120 km from Bambari in the Ouaka, in the centre of the Central African Republic.
“Because of their knowledge of the area, local recruits, trained and guided by members of the Central African Republic’s armed forces and foreign private military companies, walked into the remote village of Boyo and were able to identify their victims,” the High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a report.
In their official response to the UN report, the Central African authorities said the link to government forces “is not corroborated by evidence.”
Boyo was the scene of a deadly attack in 2021. “Atrocities” were committed by anti-balaka militiamen on the 24 villages and nearly 4,500 inhabitants who were living there peacefully.
The militia from Tagbara stormed the locality and committed atrocities against the Muslim community, which was perceived to be supporting an armed group engaged in the fight against the government.
13 people were killed in Boyo Centre and 51 people in the surrounding area. 547 houses were destroyed, and hundreds of people fled to Bambari, Bria and even Bangui.
According to the UNHCR, the Boyo attack confirms a trend documented by the UN mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) “whereby foreign private military companies, operating under the direction or with the consent of government authorities, use proxies to perpetrate attacks against the civilian population.”
CD/lb/abj/APA