The United Nations (UN) deployed peacekeepers to the northwest of the Central African Republic (CAR) after a deadly attack last week that killed 23 civilians.

According to a Wednesday report from the UN, the 3R rebel group was allegedly responsible for the attack which occurred in the Nzakoundou village. The peacekeepers were sent to “strengthen security and facilitate humanitarian aid access” in light of “tense” conditions following the attack. The UN Security Council initially authorized and deployed peacekeeping forces with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA) in the Central African Republic in 2014. Its mission is to protect civilians in times of human rights crises.

General Humphrey Hyone, Force Commander Lieutenant of MINUSCA visited the surrounding region earlier this week and flew over Nzakoundou to assess the security conditions following the attack. The area has been in conflict over the past several years, largely driven by political tensions.

UN Resolution 2719 related to the financing of African Union peace operations was unanimously adopted on December 21, 2023. According to a statement on behalf of the Secretary-General, the resolution is expected to “help address a longstanding and critical gap in the international peace and security architecture and bolster the international community’s efforts to tackle peace and security challenges on the continent.”

The tense conditions of conflict and violence are not new to the region. Human Rights Watch issued a report in July 2017 extensively detailing war crimes committed by armed rebel forces in the CAR over a period of two-and-a-half years. The report documented civilian deaths, destruction of homes and forced evictions. In June 2021, Chad’s defense ministry accused troops of the CAR of attacking a military outpost, ultimately killing one soldier, injuring five others and kidnapping five soldiers whom they later executed. Chad’s embassy classified the attack as a war crime. Earlier this year, the US Deputy Representative to the UN publicly condemned the Russian-backed paramilitary organization, the Wagner Group, for allegedly heightening security concerns and committing human rights violations in West Africa.