May 17th 2020 - MINUSCA To Secure Central Region Of CAR 

From Wikipedia: Ouaka is one of the 16 prefectures of the Central African Republic.[1][2] It borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, covers an area of 49,900 km2, and has a population of 224,076 (2003 census), giving a population density of under 5 inhabitants/km2. The capital is Bambari.

Note: This is the region where AXM's Passendro mine is located. 

https://minusca.unmissions.org/la-minusca-lance-deux-nouvelles-op%C3%A9rations-de-protection-et-s%C3%A9curisation-dans-la-r%C3%A9gion-centre-de-la?fbclid=IwAR1-hZ430kGxvrgkriuXUsk-jGH5Zsjr73MqOJnBiy3VbdLAQeldj1E7VvY

May 17 2020

MINUSCA LAUNCHES TWO NEW PROTECTION AND SECURITY OPERATIONS IN THE CENTRAL REGION OF CAR

As part of its mandate to protect populations, the MINUSCA Force has just launched two major operations, namely Operation "Igana siriri" (Bringing Peace to Sango) in Ndélé (north-central Central African Republic) as well than in the Sibut-Grimari-Kouango triangle (Ouaka and Kemo prefectures), in order to deal with the security situation in these regions.

The operation in Ndélé will be carried out jointly with the hundred FACA soldiers, who have just been deployed in the city, and aims to restore a safe and secure environment in and around the city, to ensure the protection of civilians and d '' assist in the establishment of security conditions allowing the immediate resumption of humanitarian activities intended for populations, especially those who have fled their homes. It also aims to create conditions conducive to a lasting political solution to the crisis in the prefecture of Bamingui-Bangoran, thereby contributing to the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic (APPR-RCA ) In the region. To this end, the workforce is reinforced, in particular with the deployment of a rapid intervention blue helmet unit dedicated to large-scale operations as well as the dispatch of a detachment of United Nations police officers capable of supporting the investigations initiated and of help maintain order in order to prevent any criminal act in the city. The operation in Ndélé is justified by the series of deliberate attacks against the civilian population by armed groups, to which the MINUSCA Force had to respond vigorously on April 29, to expel the attackers from the city.

As for the operation in the Sibut-Grimari-Kouango triangle, the aim is to put an end to the illegal activities of the criminal group led by the so-called Ayoloma, to strengthen the protection of civilians and to ensure freedom of movement along the main axes and secondary in the Sibut-Grimari-Kouango area. The operation follows the atrocities committed by this group on the local population, including that of March 15, during which a Burundian peacekeeper fell in his mission to protect civilians.

In addition to these two new operations, the MINUSCA Force is continuing Operation Kiri na Autorité (Restoring State Authority) launched on April 10 in western CAR, in order to curb the activities of armed groups which, during transhumance, illegally tax populations and contribute to insecurity. To this end, the Force's ultimatum in early May forced elements of the Return, Claim and Rehabilitation (3R) group to leave the village of Baboua (Nana-Mambéré) where they were trying to set up a base, in violation of the APPR-RCA. In addition, in Lobaye, the UN Forces control the area and monitor the transhumance routes in order to avoid any incident between nomadic and sedentary populations.

Despite the context of COVID-19, MINUSCA reiterates its commitment to fully execute its mandate, including the protection of civilians and institutions, support for the implementation of the Peace Agreement and the creation of a secure environment conducive to the holding of the next elections. It continues to work closely with the Central African defense and security forces, as evidenced by the significant support recently provided by the MINUSCA Force and Police to the deployment of police and gendarmes to Ippy, Bria and Kaga-Bandoro, as well as FACA in Ndélé, regions where the Central African defense and security forces have been absent since 2012.