Several killed in CAR in wake of top officer’s death

A UN peacekeeper in the CAR running for cover
Eleven people were killed in violence which broke out in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, after unidentified gunmen opened fire and killed Marcel Mombeka, the head of the country’s armed forces, the UN mission in the CAR (Minusca) says. 

Minusca said it sent men to the scene of the incident in the volatile Bangui district of PK5, where eye-witnesses recounted the exchange of fire which followed the killing of Mombeka on Tuesday.

BBC Afrique quotes a Minusca spokesman, Herve Verhoosel, as saying:

At this stage, we are sad to report 11 dead, 14 missing and 14 wounded.”

Calm has now returned to Bangui as the UN and government officials continued to urge residents to avoid answering “violence by violence.”

The Central African Republic is recovering from several years of civil war and despite the presence of UN troops in the country, deadly attacks against civilians are regular.

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