Hours after Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin rebelled against his country’s top military leaders, his private army’s biggest client in Africa panicked and turned for help to his foe in the West. Some 1,500 of Prigozhin’s shadowy Wagner Group mercenaries were stationed in Central African Republic.
Flowers are laid at the statue of Russia n mercenaries as a tribute to the late Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in Bangui, Central Africa n Republic, on March. 5, 2024. FILE - This undated photograph handed out by French military shows Russia n mercenaries boarding a helicopter in northern Mali. FILE - Nigeriens, some holding Russia n flags, participate in a march called by supporters of coup leader Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani in Niamey, Niger, on July 30, 2023.
Central African Republic was one of the first places the mercenaries entered. The country has been in conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power and forced the president from office. Six of the 14 armed groups that signed a 2019 peace deal later left the agreement. Locals and the government credited Wagner with fighting back rebels who tried to overtake Bangui, the capital, in 2021.
Wagner is steeped in Central African Republic’s security system, and experts say that will likely prevent Touadera from easily diversifying security partners. Still, the State Department said in a statement early this year that it wasn’t involved in the decision to establish Bancroft Global Development’s presence in Central African Republic.
Bancroft’s involvement in Central African Republic has been shrouded in secrecy since signs emerged of its presence last fall. Fewer than 30 Bancroft personnel work there, Stock said, helping Central African Republic with intelligence systems, interagency cooperation and law enforcement.Much of Bancroft’s overall funding has come from U.S. and United Nations grants. From 2018 to 2020, it received more than $43 million from the U.S., according to audits required as part of tax forms.
Stock defended Bancroft’s work and policies. “It is perfectly normal for a government not to publicize how it is defending the people and the state,” he told AP. Officials in both Central African Republic and Russia didn’t respond to requests for comment on any such incident. Bikantov, Russia’s ambassador to Central African Republic, has said Bancroft’s presence had no effect on cooperation with Russia’s military.
Central African Republic Russia United States Government General News United States Politics Russia Government Yevgeny Prigozhin Washington News I Faustin-Archange Touadera World News War And Unrest Wagner Group Washington News
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