Robert Besser
23 Mar 2023, 16:20 GMT+10
BANGUI, Central African Republic: Authorities from the Central African Republic have said that nine Chinese nationals were killed and two others wounded after gunmen stormed a Chinese-operated gold mine on the weekend.
In response, the rebel coalition initially blamed by some for the attack, the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), denied responsibility and accused Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group of being behind the violence.
The attack came just days after gunmen kidnapped three Chinese nationals in the country's west, near the border with Cameroon.
After the incidents, President Faustin Archange Touadera now plans to visit China to reassure investors.
Abel Matipata, mayor of the town of Bambari, located 25 kilometers from the mine, said the assault on the Chimbolo gold mine began around 5 a.m. when the gunmen overpowered the site's guards and opened fire, adding that the site had only opened for mining days earlier.
Local authorities said they are attempting to pursue those responsible, while local residents said that the violence was the latest incident undermining confidence in security forces.
"The government is having difficulty proving its ability to protect Central Africans and foreigners living in the country," noted Bambari resident Ange Morel Gbatangue, as quoted by the Associated Press.
While suspicion fell on the CPC, an alliance of rebel groups aligned with former President Francois Bozize, its military spokesman, Mamadou Koura, said the allegations were false, claiming that Russian mercenaries launched the attack "with the goal of scaring Chinese, who were present long before the Russians settled in this part of the country."
Get a daily dose of Middle East Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Middle East Star.
More InformationTAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan and the United States are set to sign the first deal under a new trade framework, marking ...
BRUSSELS, Belgium: EU tech chief Margrethe Vestager has said that a draft code of conduct on artificial intelligence (AI) could ...
New Delhi [India], June 9 (ANI): SpiceJet said it will induct ten Boeing 737 aircraft into its fleet to cater ...
Colombo [Sri Lanka], June 9 (ANI): China's absence from the Sri Lankan debt restructuring meeting in Washington in April indicates ...
NEW YORK, June 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks ended higher on Thursday, boosted by a rally in shares of big ...
New Delhi [India], June 9 (ANI): When the International Monetary Fund (IMF) called the Indian economy a "bright spot" in ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The Federal Aviation Administration has said that a drone sighting disrupted some flights at Pittsburgh International Airport this ...
PORTLAND, Oregon: A federal trial has begun in Portland, Oregon examining the constitutionality of a stringent gun control law approved ...
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and members of the city's historical commission have been sued by a group which ...
LANSING, Michigan: Michigan's Department of Natural Resources said by a wildfire in the state has burned through more than 3 ...
ISTANBUL, Turkey: In an interview with Reuters, Willie Walsh, director-general of the International Air Transport Association, (IATA), said airlines are ...
SACRAMENTO, California: Sixteen migrants from Venezuela and Colombia, who had entered the United States through Texas, were transported to California ...