Russian mercenaries carried out attacks on Sudan-CAR border: report
June 21, 2022 (KHARTOUM/BANGUI) – Mercenaries from Russia mounted a series of bloody attacks on artisanal mines in the lawless border zones between Sudan and Central African Republic (CAR) in an effort to plunder the region’s valuable gold trade, The Guardian reported on Tuesday.
The report is based on information provided by witnesses and experts.
Dozens of miners, it said, are thought to have died in at least three major attacks this year allegedly involving mercenaries working for the Gagner Group a private military company linked to the Kremlin by western officials.
The three biggest incidents took place on 13 March, 15 April and 24 May.
Most of the victims were migrant workers from Sudan and Chad working in the goldmines, though some local civilians are also thought to have died
There are also reports of further attacks on mines in six places across CAR.
Wagner Group, which arrived in the CAR four years ago to defend the government against rebels, reportedly control flow of gold and diamonds.
Analysts, however, believe the group was initially promised gold and other mining concessions in place of cash payments for its services in the CAR.
Others said the recent attacks appeared to be more like raids for plunder rather than efforts to secure and extract resources over months or years.
“There are regular reports of attackers arriving by helicopter, killing artisanal goldminers and rebels … [then] taking everything they can and then leaving. Sometimes they come back again a month or so later and do the same thing. It is nothing to do with securing a mining site,” Pauline Bax, the deputy Africa director of the International Crisis Group told The Guardian.
Wagner has been active in a dozen countries across Africa, and has been repeatedly accused of human rights abuses on the continent. Western officials allege the Kremlin is using Wagner to advance Russian economic and political interests across the African continent and elsewhere.
(ST)