At least six people were killed on Wednesday during armed clashes between Central African defense and security forces and a local militia near the town of Zémio, in the southeast of the Central African Republic. The incident was confirmed on Thursday by multiple local sources.
The violence erupted during a disarmament operation carried out by the Central African Armed Forces (FACA), supported by gendarmerie and police units, targeting the armed group “Azandé Ani Kpi Gbé.” The provisional death toll includes at least six people, among them four government soldiers, along with several others wounded.
The local MP, Éric Kpiodigui, confirmed the events and called for calm among the parties involved. He also noted that the gunfire triggered panic among residents, forcing many civilians to flee toward the river that marks the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.