On the morning of 3 April, at 5 a.m., the MINUSCA temporary base in Tagbara village, located 60 km northeast of Bambari, in Ouaka prefecture, came under attack from anti-Balaka elements.

The peacekeepers and assailants engaged in a firefight over the course of several hours, during which a blue helmet was killed, 11 other peacekeepers were wounded and more than 22 anti-Balaka elements were killed.

In response to the attack, MINUSCA deployed reinforcements in Tagbara and evacuated the body of the fallen soldier and the wounded peacekeepers to Bangui and Bria.

Apart from this incident, MINUSCA discovered the bodies of 21 civilians (4 children, 4 women and 13 men) near a church in Tagbara later that morning. According to initial findings, traditional weapons appear to have been used in their killing.

On the evening of 2 April at 7:30 p.m., peacekeepers stationed at the MINUSCA temporary base in Tagbara were informed that the Union for Peace in Central Africa (UPC) held 23 people, including 3 children, 13 women, and 7 men.

MINUSCA peacefully recovered these individuals, who were mostly civilian, and accommodated them at its temporary base for the night, to ensure their safety.

MINUSCA strongly condemns these violent events and the loss of lives of civilians and peacekeepers.

Nothing could justify such acts, which may constitute war crimes. An investigation will be conducted to leave no room for impunity.