A recently opened gold mine in the Central African Republic was attacked by unknown gunmen, killing 9 Chinese citizens and injuring two others, foreign media reported on March 19 local time. A Chinese-owned company is reported to be at the mine.
The attack on the gold mine began around 5 a.m. when gunmen overpowered guards at the site and opened fire, said Abel Matipata, mayor of the nearby town of Bambari, the capital of the nearby province of Waka, in the village of Chimbolo. He added that the mine had just started a few days earlier. Local authorities said they were hunting for the attackers but declined to comment further.
picture
Residents say the violence is the latest to undermine confidence in the security forces. "It is difficult for the government to prove that it is capable of protecting Central Africans and foreigners living in the country," said Gbatangue, a Bambari resident.
No group immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion fell on the Patriot Alliance for Change, which is active in the area and regularly carries out attacks on the country's armed forces, allegedly allied with former President Francois Bozize.
Bangue, a resident who supports the current presidential administration, said the attack on the Chinese businessmen was an act of "extreme cowardice". "The Patriot Alliance for Change has not only slowed down the economic momentum of the country, but is now attacking the very foundation of development. This is unacceptable,"
The Central African Republic is one of the poorest countries in the world, despite being rich in minerals such as gold and diamonds. Numerous rebel groups have operated with impunity in the troubled country over the past decade, hampering mining and exploration by foreign companies.
Many of the companies now operating in the country are Chinese-run and face security challenges. In 2020, two Chinese nationals were killed when local residents attacked a Chinese-funded mine in Soso-Nakongpo. In 2018, three Chinese citizens were killed after a local leader died in a boating accident while accompanying Chinese miners to a construction site. Just days earlier, Forstein-Archange Touadera had gone to the country to try to reassure Chinese investors after gunmen kidnapped three Chinese nationals near the western border with Cameroon.
On March 13, the Consular Affairs Office of the Chinese Embassy in Central Africa issued a security alert, saying that in recent months since the dry season, security incidents have been frequent in the provinces of the Central African Republic, and foreign citizens have been kidnapped by local militants. In view of the current security risks in other provinces and regions, the Chinese Embassy in Central Africa once again solemnly reminds Chinese institutions and citizens in Central Africa and those who intend to come to China to strictly abide by the relevant advice of the Department of Consular Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and our Embassy, and not to travel outside the capital Bangui of Central Africa unless necessary. Chinese citizens outside the capital Bangui are requested to report their personal information to the embassy immediately and exercise vigilance.
