Africa: Central African Republic

BBC Africa Offers COVID-19 One Minute Bulletins Across West Africa

Mar 27, 2020

BBC News Africa has launched daily one-minute video Coronavirus stories in Afrique, Hausa, Igbo, Pidgin, and Yoru ...

Baba Kete, a Muslim trader, came back to live in the ruins of his home, which was destroyed by so-called anti-balaka militias. By CAMILLE LAFFONT (AFP)

Historic trial for massacre fails to provide closu...

Feb 24, 2020

In Bangassou, splendid trees overlook elegant buildings slowly crumbling to ruin. Time here seems to have stood still ...

Sentenced: Kevin Bere-Bere, a self-described lieutenant in the militia, was given life with forced labour. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP/File)

Five C.African militia chiefs given life terms ove...

Feb 8, 2020

Five leaders from a predominantly Christian militia in Central African Republic were given life terms on Friday for war ...

Four legs good: Soumaila Zacharia Maidjida, alias Dida, and one of his beloved horses. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP)

Horse dreams: The plucky riders of the Central Afr...

Feb 7, 2020

It's an arresting sight: In the middle of a dusty street in Bangui, a chestnut horse appears, trotting graciously among ...

Militia groups who once battled each other still control two-thirds of the country. By ALEXIS HUGUET (AFP)

C.Africa leader urges tough line on peace deal vio...

Feb 6, 2020

Central African Republic President Faustin Archange Touadera on Thursday called on international partners to take a toug ...

A Central African Republic soldier trains with an anti-tank weapon in August 2019. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP/File)

Russia obtains ease on C.Africa arms embargo at UN...

Feb 1, 2020

The UN Security Council on Friday approved a slight relaxation of the arms embargo on the Central African Republic, an i ...

The dusty diamond trading hub of Bria has been ravaged by violence. By CAMILLE LAFFONT (AFP/File)

Clashes in diamond hub shed light on C.Africa's et...

Jan 31, 2020

Bloodletting along ethnic lines in a key diamond town has highlighted the problems facing the Central African Republic i ...

UN peacekeeping forces have been mediating in the recent clashes. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP)

Militia clashes kill 50 in C. Africa town

Jan 28, 2020

Clashes between rival armed groups in Bria, a strategic town in eastern Central African Republic, have left dozens dead, ...

More than half the population of the Central African Republic needs humanitarian aid. By MIGUEL MEDINA (AFP)

Half C.Africa population needs humanitarian aid: U...

Jan 22, 2020

More than half the population in the Central African Republic -- around 2.6 million people -- needs humanitarian aid and ...

Thousands of Bozize supporters turned out last month to celebrate his return -- many have urged him to run again, despite his part in the country's bloody conflict seven years ago. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP/File)

3-D chess with ex-presidents back in war-torn C.Af...

Jan 16, 2020

The unexpected return of two former presidents to the Central African Republic, the main figures in a civil war that sti ...

Thirty-one militiamen went on trial for a massacre in 2017 that left dozens dead including 10 UN peacekeepers, according to UN figures. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP)

Militia chiefs on trial in C. Africa over UN killi...

Jan 15, 2020

Two militia chiefs and 29 of their men went on trial in the Central African Republic on Wednesday over a massacre of civ ...

A new life: Former child soldiers learn how to weld at the Don Bosco training centre in Bangui. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP)

C.Africa's former child soldiers learn new trades

Jan 15, 2020

Now we can sleep safely at night, I want to set up a bakery, said Prisca. Forced into marriage with a rebel fighter ...

Djotodia's rebel movement, known as Seleka, plunged the Central African Republic into violence. By SIA KAMBOU (AFP/File)

Former C.Africa leader returns after six-year exil...

Jan 10, 2020

Former Central African Republic rebel leader and president Michel Djotodia returned to Bangui on Friday, exactly six yea ...

Central Africa gendarmerie patrols have restarted with UN peacekeepers in Bangui's PK5 district. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP)

Police deploy in C.Africa flashpoint district

Jan 7, 2020

Police have resumed patrols in a flashpoint district of the Central African Republic's capital, 20 months after being fo ...

Dozens of stores have been burned down in Bangui's PK5 district, a flashpoint for violence in the Central African Republic. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP)

C.Africa authorities and UN vow to disarm flashpoi...

Dec 31, 2019

The government and United Nations forces in the Central African Republic will ban guns from a flashpoint district in the ...

Aftermath of fighting between militiamen and traders in a restive district of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP)

Clashes in C. African capital leave at least 30 de...

Dec 26, 2019

At least 30 people were killed in fighting between militiamen and traders in a restive district of Bangui, the capital o ...

Thousands turned out to welcome the return of Francois Bozize, the former president ousted in a 2013 coup. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP)

Thousands welcome former C.African leader's return...

Dec 22, 2019

Thousands of well-wishers turned out on Saturday to welcome former Central African Republic president Francois Bozize on ...