Central African Republic: January 2022 Rewind
CAR Watch ~ January 2022 in the rear-view
The month and the year got off to a distressing start with random shootings occurring across Bangui over New Year’s eve, whether this was just revelry run amok or a coordinated assault remains to be seen, but the randomness of the victims and the timing points towards the likelihood of it being unfortunate intoxicated mayhem.
The UPC started the year off with its own set of resolutions agreeing to disband as an organization.?
Ali Darassa then became persona non grata numero uno, with a big target on his back now that Bozizé is in exile in Chad and the UPC have called it quits; he is seen as the last major rebel leader to be dealt with and reports have him fleeing into Sudan.
The curious case of Remy Quignolot continues on, the French national is accused of threats to state security, terrorism, espionage, association with criminals, possession of war arms & ammunitions and pimping. His family and his lawyers deny the charges and insist his detention is unwarranted and illegal.
There was a gruesome discovery in Yidere of 20 skeletons in what locals believed to be a mass grave that is evidence of a Russian massacre from last October.?
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Then followed reports of increasingly severe violence by Wagner with 17 killed in Pande, two killed by helicopter in Bambari, and in a shocking incident 70 were apparently killed in and around Aigbado on January 6th and 7th.
As the month wore on this story would come to highlight the uncertain role Wagner plays in countries where it is invited to set up shop.
And here at the end of the month reports have emerged that some Wagner operatives might be relocating to the Ukraine region and while others are mixing various chemicals into their booze to get so fucked up it kills them. Strange days afoot it seems in the Central African Republic as we crash headlong into the mouth of this year of the Tiger. Be well Bangui, be well.