At least 11 killed in shooting at Russia's Wagner gold mine in Central African Republic
Illustrative photo: Wagner PMC fighters (Getty Images)
A shooting occurred at a gold mine in the Central African Republic controlled by the Russian private military company Wagner. Local residents report that more than 10 young men were killed, informs АР News.
At least 11 people died in the shooting at the gold mine controlled by Wagner.
The incident occurred overnight on July 16 near the village of Ndassima, approximately 450 kilometers east of the country's capital, Bangui.
A group of young men from nearby villages tried to collect residual gold — gravel and sandy mixture on the Wagner-controlled mine site. They were shot dead on the spot.
Witnesses and humanitarian workers say at least 11 people were killed. They were reportedly forced to search for gold in a restricted area before being shot.
Other residents, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, report that several more people are missing. These individuals went to the mine at night in search of gravel.
Serge Serge Pounematchi, a father of one of the victims, confirmed his son was among those killed. He condemned the impunity and lack of right to life: "It is a shame that the right to life does not exist."
There are no official comments from the Central African Republic authorities yet. Representatives of the mine and Wagner remain silent on the incident.
Wagner's activity in the Central African Republic
Wagner has been operating in the country since 2017, officially under the cover of Midas Resources. This company controls Ndassima, the country's only industrial gold mine.
The group faces systematic accusations of human rights abuses, including kidnappings, torture, and extrajudicial killings of civilians. Mass killings have occurred before — for example, over 65 deaths were recorded in 2022 at the Aigbado mine by UNDP, RFE/RL, and others.
Wagner's political role is also notable. The PMC supported President Touadéra and assisted him in the 2023 referendum, which paved the way for the constitutional extension of his term.
In related news, a Wagner mercenary was killed in Mali. The mercenary, Igor Nesterov, previously worked as a trainer for Russian boxer Oleksandr Povetkin. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Nesterov participated in the war against Ukraine and appeared in photos alongside other Russian fighters.
