The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has condemned the recent attacks against UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (C.A.R.).
Guterres reiterated that the attacks could amount to war crimes, and has called on the C.A.R. government to investigate the incident swiftly bring those responsible to justice.
The UN Chief also expressed his condolences to the family of the bereaved, as well as to the Government of Mauritania.
A Mauritanian peacekeeper was killed in the ambush that also left 8 other peacekeepers wounded.
The attack, targeting a convoy escorted by troops from the UN peacekeeping mission in the country (MINUSCA), took place on Thursday morning near the town of Alindao. Alindao is located along the restive Bambari-Bangassou road corridor.
The attack is believed to have been carried out by so-called anti-Balaka elements, who are operating in the area.
Fighting between the mostly Christian anti-Balaka militia and the mainly Muslim Séléka rebel coalition has kept the C.A.R. in civil conflict since 2012.
A peace agreement was reached in January 2013, but rebels seized the capital, Bangui, in March of that year, forcing President François Bozizé to flee.
Concerned with the security, humanitarian, human rights and political crisis in the CAR and its regional implications, the Security Council authorized the deployment of MINUSCA in 2014 with the protection of civilians as its utmost priority.
