Bangui - Humanitarian workers, patients and their caretakers are suffering unbearable levels of violence perpetrated by local armed groups while moving around the town of Batangafo, in northern Central African Republic (CAR), says Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). 

Two grave incidents in less than a week are jeopardising our ability to continue providing healthcare in the area. MSF urges armed groups to respect and protect patients and staff.

So far in 2023, our teams have suffered at least 16 incidents in Batangafo, on the town’s outskirts. The latest attacks occurred on 26 and 30 August. The assaults consist mostly of violent robberies. They are perpetrated by groups of armed men who attack our staff on motorbikes as they transport patients, community health workers who provide care in rural areas, or convoys of vehicles with staff on their way to outreach activities. 

The incidents near Batangafo have involved a range of armed groups. On two occasions in March and August this year, attacks involved sexual violence against an MSF worker and caretakers of patients.

“We are outraged by any violence committed against patients, their caretakers, our staff and referral motorbike riders clearly identified as belonging to a humanitarian organisation,” says Gisa Kohler, MSF manager of operations in the Central African Republic. 

“Our teams are robbed relentlessly at gun point, and the evasive responses from local armed groups, who always attribute the actions to uncontrolled elements to avoid any responsibility, are unacceptable.”

“While the conflict in CAR may not be in the spotlight, violence against local people is happening here all the time. They are the first ones to be impacted by it,” says Kohler.

“The repeated attacks affecting MSF endanger the continuation of our medical activities in the periphery of Batangafo. If we were forced to leave, this would severely limit access to healthcare for people in rural areas.” 

Following these incidents, MSF is temporarily suspending movements to supported health centres on the outskirts of Batangafo, and the referral of patients living in areas between Batangafo and Ouogo, where one of the latest incidents occurred.

“We are committed to staying here to save lives in an area that is quite neglected, but we can’t do it at any cost, by putting our patients and staff at risk,” says Kohler. “We call on all armed groups to respect and protect healthcare staff, humanitarian workers, patients and their caretakers.” 

Last year, MSF was forced to close our project in Kabo, in northern CAR, after 16 years, following an attack on a convoy in January 2022. We closed the project as we were unable to ensure safe movement for our teams in this volatile area of the country.