AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC – Priest killed in the east of the Country

Bangui – Father Crépin Martial Monga, vicar of St. John the Baptist Parish in the Diocese of Bangassou, in Zémio, in the Haut-Mbomou region, was killed on the evening of June 29 outside his parish residence, according to local sources.
Father Monga coordinated the Local Committee for Peace and Reconciliation of Zémio , a mediation body bringing together local communities, civil authorities, and other stakeholders in the region. In this part of the country, the Catholic Church—through its priests and parish structures—has often assumed a de facto role in mediation efforts and in providing protection for the population.
For several weeks, the security situation in Haut-Mbomou Prefecture has steadily deteriorated, with escalating armed violence and significant population displacement toward the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
At least three major factors are contributing to the instability in the area: the strong presence of armed groups, ; ethnic tensions and competition for control of territory and resources; and strong conflicts between Central African soldiers and personnel from the Russian private military company Wagner, which has been operating in the country for several years in support of the regular armed forces .

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