3 CPC Rebels Die In Gun Battle With Russian Mercenaries In Central African Republic

Three rebels of the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) have been killed in Bongou village, 28 kilometres from Bria on the Ouadda highway in the Central African Republic.

The rebels were killed in a fierce gun fight between CPC members and the Russian mercenaries on the night of Wednesday,  May 26, 2021.

“The village of Bongou is almost completely empty now but for a few old persons as people were forced to flee into the bushes during the violent exchanges between the CPC rebels and the Russian mercenaries,” said a civil society source in Bria.

“On Tuesday, May 25, 2021 around 2 a.m., mercenaries of the Russian Wagner Security Group, on board two pick-ups left Bria for Bongou village.”

“About three kilometres to their destination, they parked their vehicles at the banks of the River Bongou and trekked on foot up to the roadblock set up by the rebels which was at the entrance to the village.”

“The Russian mercenaries arrived at the roadblock when most of the rebels had gone into the village leaving just a few of their colleagues.” 

“The heavily-armed Russian mercenaries then opened fire on the rebels killing three on the spot. The others took flight after putting up resistance for just 10 minutes,” the source narrated.

Residents of the locality ran for cover in the bush as the exchange of fire between the rebels and the Russians intensified.

“Some of the people tried to flee to Bria but the Russian mercenaries positioned on the banks of the River Bongou forced them to return to their village. Others were forced to pass through the forests to arrive in Bria,” a local source said.

“Right now, the village of Bongou is completely empty of its inhabitants, most of whom are hiding in the bushes while others are in Bria. Even the CPC rebels who also fled from Bongou are hiding in the bushes too, some of them among the local civilian population.”