Background

Clashes continued between government forces, aided by their allies, and armed groups affiliated with the Coalition of Patriots for Change, leading to numerous civilian casualties. On 30 July the UN Security Council lifted the arms embargo, in place since 2013. By 31 August, 455,533 people were internally displaced. Meanwhile, the country hosted 43,393 refugees, including 29,070 from Sudan.

Unlawful attacks and killings

According to a report by the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), covering the second quarter of 2024, armed groups and government forces, supported by their allies, continued to carry out unlawful attacks and killings.

MINUSCA reported that, in the region of Haut-Mbomou on 19 February, the Azande Ani Kpi Gbe armed group ambushed a civilian truck in Kere, killing four of the 20 passengers and abducting a woman. Clashes between the group and another armed group, the Unity for Peace in Central Africa (UPC) followed in Kitessa, Maboussou and Manza on 22 and 23 February, resulting in 10 deaths and the displacement of part of the population to Zémio. On 27 February, national defence forces and other security personnel conducted an operation targeting Anti-Balaka armed group leaders at the Willy mining site, 35km south-west of Bossangoa in Ouham region in the west of the country. According to local sources, four civilians were killed and several others wounded. On 29 March, suspected members of the Popular Front for the Renaissance of the Central African Republic and UPC combatants attacked the market in Ouogo, 63km north-west of Batangafo, wounding six civilians.

Sexual and gender-based violence

According to OCHA, there was a surge in cases of sexual and gender-based violence, exacerbated by the conflict and “by socio-cultural norms that are unfavourable to women and girls, despite the existence of relevant policies and legislation” that could offer some protection if implemented. In the first half of the year, more than 11,000 cases of gender-based violence were reported. More than 6,000 of the cases were reported in the second quarter alone, 96% of which involved victims who were women or girls, and 32% of which were rapes, the most frequently reported crime. According to the Gender-Based Violence Information Management System, between January and September all identified survivors of gender-based violence benefited from psycho-social support, while 82% received medical assistance – only 28% of which occurred within the critical 72-hour window; 11% received legal or judicial assistance; and only 6% were supported with economic reintegration measures.

Right to truth, justice and reparation

On 1 May the Special Criminal Court (SCC), a UN-backed hybrid court, issued an international arrest warrant for former president François Bozizé for alleged crimes against humanity linked to actions by his presidential guard between 2009 and 2013. The court urged Guinea-Bissau, where François Bozizé was exiled, to cooperate in his arrest. On 8 May the president of Guinea-Bissau announced his intention to disregard the request.

On 21 June the SCC announced the arrest of Edmond Beina, a suspect in the “Guen” case, which involved crimes committed in 2014 in the Mambéré region. He was charged with several crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder and extermination. Abakar Zakaria Hamid, also known as “SG”, was arrested on 4 September and appeared before SCC investigating judges. He faced multiple charges including crimes against humanity such as murder, extermination, persecution and enforced disappearance.

On 13 December, the SCC delivered its verdict in the case known as “Ndélé 1” in which the four accused were convicted of crimes against humanity committed during incidents in 2020 in the town of Ndélé. On the same day, the defence lawyer announced his decision to appeal.

On 3 May the gendarmerie temporarily closed, without providing formal documentation, the Truth, Justice, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission. It had been established in 2020 “to investigate, establish the truth and assign responsibility for the serious national events that have occurred since 29 March 1959, that is 60 years of the tumultuous history of the Central African Republic”. The staff were instructed to leave the premises, and on 7 May a government decree dismissed the commission members, citing internal conflicts and poor management. A committee was established to appoint new members.

Inhumane detention conditions

In July a MINUSCA report revealed alarming detention conditions, emphasizing poor healthcare and hygiene and severe malnutrition among detainees, a situation that was aggravated by insufficient food budgets and prolonged detention. The report also highlighted the ill-treatment experienced by several detainees and noted the lack of a government response regarding these issues. It listed numerous other shortcomings, including non-compliance with legal custody time limits and the excessive use of pretrial detention.

Right to food

According to the Food Security Cluster, a UN-led organization, more than 2.5 million people experienced severe food insecurity, with 307,000 in emergency conditions by November. In regions including Mbomou and Haute-Kotto, more than 50% of the population were living in a situation of emergency or crisis food insecurity. This primarily affected internally displaced people, those in remote areas and poor urban households, whose access to food was challenged due to rising prices, conflict and poor infrastructure.