NEW YORK, 23 January 2022, (TON): The United Nations said that it is investigating the alleged killing of dozens of people in the Central African Republic last week by CAR forces and mercenaries of the Russian private military company Wagner.

More than 30 civilians were reportedly killed, some by stray bullets, in the January 16-17 operation near the town of Bria that targeted the Union for Peace rebel group, according to UN officials speaking anonymously.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the UN mission known as MINUSCA in the country received reports of the incident, involving CAR troops and “other security personnel.”

Dujarric said “We are currently confirming the number of casualties and displacement.”

He said that MINUSCA had dispatched a human rights team accompanied by security personnel to the incident area, and that it “continues to assess the situation, ensuring necessary measures to be taken to protect civilians.”

A military source in the country suggested the fighting could still be ongoing. “Central African forces and the Russians are committing a massacre,” the source told AFP, declining to be identified.

The person said “There have been summary executions and we are talking about 50 deaths.”