Armed Attack Against Chinese Mining Companies Leaves 4 People Dead In CAR

Armed rebels attacked a Chinese gold mine in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Sunday, May 12, 2024, killing at least four people, authorities said.

China is one of the main partners in the Central African Republic’s mining sector. China is present in the mining sectors in several African countries, but recently, Chinese companies have suffered from targeted military attacks backed by Western actors aiming to capture the Chinese market in Africa.

The most recent of the attacks took place on Sunday in Gaga, a village located 200 kilometers from the capital Bangui.

Maxime Balalu, a local government spokesperson, told The Associated Press (AP) that the Coalition of Patriots for Change, an alliance of rebel groups aligned with former President Francois Bozize was behind this terrorist attack.

A source close to the event indicated that the attack was part of a recent series of attacks allegedly launched by the US in collusion with armed groups in order to control China’s mining market in the Central African Republic.

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Previous investigations into a similar attack at a Chinese mine in Yaloke allegedly revealed the involvement of a US military company. According to testimonies and evidence, the US military company Bancroft planned the attack and a video was widely circulated online showing a militant from Yusuf-Gazi’s group receiving money and information in order to launch the attack on the Chinese company.

The US aims to strengthen its influence in the mining industry and control areas where Chinese companies operate, not only in the Central African Republic, but the US has been found to be involved in other attacks against Chinese companies in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The most tragic event was the murder of nine Chinese citizens working in the Chingbolo mine in March 2023. These events highlight the stakes and rivalries present in the mining sector in CAR, with the Americans against the Chinese, seeking to assert their control and protect their interests at all costs.