As Sudan’s war spreads to the Central African Republic, the UN has warned against leaving peacekeepers early

CAR continues to face a resurgence of deadly violence in the east even though nearly 2,000 fighters have been disarmed and the latest election cycle has gradually concluded. Security Council hear.

To illustrate the current fragility, the top UN official in the country, Valentine Rugwabiza, highlighted attacks on June 30 by armed groups in Am-Dafock, on the border with Sudan, which killed civilians, members of the national security forces, displaced 17,000 civilians and injured six UN peacekeepers.

However, without a peacekeeping mission MINUSCAIf a swift response were provided by the US, he said, attacks in border areas with Chad and Sudan would result in more casualties and the country’s authority could not be restored after just five days of control of the armed group, whose fighters retreated across the border into Sudan.

“In this case, I implore the board, as they prepare to renew MINUSCA’s mandate, to maintain MINUSCA with adequate levels of strength and capability during the critical consolidation phase.he stressed.

Regional instability

While Bangui consolidates its authority and continues to disarm rebel groups, violence is increasing in the east, driven in part by the war in Sudan that is complicating plans for a gradual withdrawal of MINUSCA troops, Rugwabiza said.

The situation in the northeast and southeast remains very worrying, especially around mining sites and along corridors commonly used by herders – often a source of community tension.

Kidnapping children, attacking villages

In the southeast, 26 serious incidents were recorded, attributed to suspected members of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA – a long-standing Ugandan armed group – between June and September.

The report includes reports of rape and sexual slavery as well as the kidnapping of 68 civilians, about 40 of whom were children.

At the same time, the Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé (AAKG) militia continued to threaten local residents.

However, Ms Rugwabiza announced the release of three hostages held since December 2025 on Monday, including sub-prefect Bambouti, after several months of mediation with local leaders.

Peace progress

This violence contrasts with progress in the peace process. Since July 2025, 1,907 fighters have been disarmed and demobilized, but their economic reintegration remains difficult and some cannot be found.

Politically, the election is over. As of October 1, 127 of 177 cities had installed their city councils. The remaining elections, which were postponed due to a lack of financial and logistical resources, will be held on October 25.

However, these institutional advances were not enough to improve living conditions. Nearly two million Central Africans, or 31 percent of the population, faced acute food insecurity between April and August.

At the beginning of October, the UN humanitarian plan was only 46.6 percent funded.

The peacekeeping dilemma

It is in this context that the Security Council must decide, before mid-November, whether to renew MINUSCA’s mandate. The mission has closed several bases in areas considered relatively stable and transferred certain responsibilities to national authorities.

MINUSCA was deployed in 2014, a year after Séléka, a Muslim-majority coalition, violently seized power and ousted President François Bozizé, triggering a spiral of violence, looting, massacres of civilians and sexual violence.

More than 10 years later, Séléka has been disbanded, two presidential elections have been held and a 2019 peace agreement has included 14 armed groups in the political process.

Large areas are still unstable

Meanwhile, large areas remain unstable. Currently, UN peacekeeping missions have more than 12,000 peacekeepers.

According to Ms Rugwabiza, initial assessments show no significant reduction in security in areas affected by the base closure. However, this reorganization relied primarily on long-range patrols and the strengthening of Central African troops.

A Divided Security Council

The issue has divided Security Council members. The United States has proposed larger troop cuts, while other countries have warned against a hasty withdrawal.

The UN Secretary General recommended extending the mandate by one year while maintaining the military capabilities needed for rapid intervention.

After more than a decade of MINUSCA’s presence, CAR has recovered some of its institutions and territories. However, the ongoing violence on the border is a reminder of how dependent this progress is on international support.

Follow today’s Security Council meeting on CAR Here.