Armed units comprising former Wagner Group operatives continue to operate in the Central African Republic (CAR), despite the formal dissolution of the private military company following its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death in 2023. These successor forces, now reportedly linked to Russia’s Ministry of Defense under the name “Africa Corps,” have been accused of multiple human rights abuses from late 2024 into early 2025.
In recent incidents, civilians in rural areas have faced extrajudicial killings, torture, and looting. On August 9, 2024, armed men identified as Russian operatives reportedly ransacked shops in Mbaiki, located approximately 100km southeast of Bangui, executing a shopkeeper’s cousin and leaving his body hanging from a tree. Reports of torture, including electric shocks, have also surfaced, while beheadings, such as that of local militia leader Jose Befio in Bouca (center of CAR) in July 2024, appear to have been used as public warnings to potential opponents.
Experts warn that these actions reflect a broader strategy of control through fear and violence, raising concerns about ongoing impunity for crimes committed by foreign forces.
A December 2024 memorial erected in Bangui honoring Prigozhin and his top lieutenant Dmitry Utkin symbolizes the deepening ties between CAR’s government and Russia. Despite growing evidence of abuses, both Moscow and Bangui continue to deny the accusations. CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera remains committed to Russian cooperation, most recently reaffirming ties during a visit to Moscow in January 2025.