Central African RepublicKey figures
Who is fighting
Government of the Central African Republic and partners
- Central African Armed Forces (FACA)
- Russia's Africa Corps / Wagner
- Rwanda Defence Force
- MINUSCA (UN)
- Integrated former militias (incl. Azande Ani Kpi Gbe elements)
- Russia
- Rwanda
- European Union (training)
Armed groups
- Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) remnants
- FPRC and ex-Séléka factions
- Anti-balaka factions
- Sudan-linked armed groups and RSF-aligned fighters on the Vakaga border
- Bandits and local militias
- Sudan's RSF (alleged links)
- Chad (alleged)
Force sizes are estimates of personnel or fighters, usually from IISS, government statements or specialist reporting; irregular forces are especially hard to count. "(reported)" marks external support that the backer disputes or has not confirmed.
Background
The Séléka rebel coalition overthrew President Bozizé in March 2013, triggering sectarian war with Christian-majority anti-balaka militias and a French and UN intervention. Armed groups came to control most of the territory outside Bangui. Faustin-Archange Touadéra, elected in 2016, brought in Russian 'instructors' (Wagner) from 2018 in exchange for mining concessions; with Rwandan troops they repelled the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) assault on Bangui in January 2021 and pushed the rebels back from the west.
A 2023 referendum removed term limits and Touadéra won a third term in December 2025 amid opposition protests. In July 2025 the 3R and UPC groups disarmed and dissolved under a peace agreement, leaving the CPC, FPRC factions, Azande militias and bandits active in the north-east and south-east; over 10,000 fighters have been demobilised since 2017. In March 2026 Russia formalised Africa Corps' takeover of Wagner's role. Spillover from Sudan is now the main driver of violence: armed groups operating across the Vakaga border killed 29 and displaced 17,000 at Am-Dafok on 30 June 2026 and attacked the MINUSCA base there on 6 July; over 31,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived since 2023. The UN Security Council extended sanctions to July 2027, and the ICC convicted former Séléka commander Mahamat Said Abdel Kani in September 2026. About 500,000 people remain internally displaced and 750,000 are refugees abroad.
Recent developments
- 30 September 2026CrisisWatch: armed groups continue to target civilians in the north-east and south-east. source ↗
- 23 September 2026ICC convicts former Séléka commander Mahamat Said Abdel Kani of crimes against humanity including torture. source ↗
- 8 September 2026MINUSCA reports more than 5,000 displaced residents have returned to Am-Dafok. source ↗
- 3 August 2026Gunmen kill a FACA soldier and a Swiss national about 50 km north of Bangui. source ↗
- 6 July 2026Attack on the MINUSCA base at Am-Dafok kills at least 10; the mission reinforces security on the Sudan border. source ↗
Timeline
- 10 December 2012Séléka coalition launches its offensive; it takes Bangui on 24 March 2013.
- 10 April 2014UN authorises MINUSCA amid sectarian killings between ex-Séléka and anti-balaka.
- 1 January 2018Russian military instructors (Wagner) begin arriving in exchange for mining rights.
- 13 January 2021CPC rebel assault on Bangui repelled with Russian and Rwandan help.
- 30 July 2023Referendum removes presidential term limits.
- 10 July 20253R and UPC, the largest remaining rebel groups, disarm and dissolve under a peace agreement.
- 28 December 2025Touadéra wins a contested third term.
- 15 March 2026Touadéra visits Moscow; Russia's Africa Corps formally takes over Wagner's security role.
- 30 June 2026Armed groups attack Am-Dafok on the Sudan border, killing 29 and displacing over 17,000.
- 6 July 2026Rebels attack MINUSCA's temporary base at Am-Dafok, killing at least 10 and wounding three peacekeepers.
- 29 July 2026UN Security Council extends sanctions on armed groups to July 2027.
- 23 September 2026ICC convicts Mahamat Said Abdel Kani of crimes against humanity.
Casualties and displacement in detail
| Measure | Low | High | What the figure covers · source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total killed (cumulative) | 13,594 | – | Compiled count of deaths since 2012 as of October 2022; a Columbia University study estimated that 5.6% of the population died in 2022 from all causes, far above baseline. 214 UN personnel have been killed. en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Combatants killed | – | – | Not published; at least 176-214 UN peacekeepers killed since 2014. cfr.org ↗ |
| Civilians killed | 29 | – | Am-Dafok attack of 30 June 2026 only (UN mission figure); other 2026 civilian deaths not aggregated. cfr.org ↗ |
| Wounded | – | – | Not recorded; three peacekeepers wounded on 6 July 2026. thedefensepost.com ↗ |
| Deaths in the last 12 months | 41 | – | Sum of documented 2026 incidents (Am-Dafok 29 and 10; Bangui-area 2); excludes unreported attacks in the north-east and south-east. cfr.org ↗ |
| Internally displaced | 500,000 | – | About 500,000 IDPs (CFR); 17,000 displaced by the Am-Dafok attack, of whom 5,000 had returned by September 2026. cfr.org ↗ |
| Refugees abroad | 750,000 | – | About 750,000 CAR refugees, mostly in Cameroon and the DRC (CFR). cfr.org ↗ |
Intensity classification: Documented deaths in the last 12 months include 29 killed at Am-Dafok on the Sudan border (30 June 2026), at least 10 killed in an attack on the MINUSCA base there (6 July), a soldier and a Swiss national near Bangui (3 August), and unquantified 'fresh violence' in January 2026 and armed-group attacks on civilians in the north-east and south-east through September; the total is well above 25 but no aggregate exists..
Countries affected
Frequently asked questions
Who is fighting in the Central African Republic conflict (government and Russian forces vs armed groups)?
Government of the Central African Republic and partners (Central African Armed Forces (FACA), Russia's Africa Corps / Wagner, Rwanda Defence Force, MINUSCA (UN), …), supported by Russia, Rwanda, European Union (training); against Armed groups (Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) remnants, FPRC and ex-Séléka factions, Anti-balaka factions, Sudan-linked armed groups and RSF-aligned fighters on the Vakaga border, …), supported by Sudan's RSF (alleged links), Chad (alleged).
How many people have been killed?
Estimates range from 13,594+ killed as of 23 September 2026. Compiled count of deaths since 2012 as of October 2022; a Columbia University study estimated that 5.6% of the population died in 2022 from all causes, far above baseline. 214 UN personnel have been killed. Civilian deaths are put at 29+. Figures come from the sources listed on this page and differ in method; see the caveats above.
Is the Central African Republic conflict (government and Russian forces vs armed groups) still ongoing in 2026?
Status as of 19 October 2026: Active fighting — A decade-old civil war has subsided into a low-level conflict in which President Touadéra's government, protected by Russia's Africa Corps (formerly Wagner) and Rwandan troops, controls Bangui and the main towns while remnants of rebel coalitions and bandits operate in the north and east. The largest groups (3R and UPC) dissolved under a July 2025 peace deal, Touadéra won a contested third term in December 2025, and the main 2026 violence has come from Sudan-linked armed groups on the Vakaga border, including the Am-Dafok attacks of June-July that killed about 40, as the UN mission MINUSCA begins to draw down.
When did it start?
The current phase began on 10 December 2012, but the underlying conflict dates back to 2004 — 13 years, 10 months ago.
Sources
- CFR Global Conflict Tracker — Central African Republic cfr.org
- HRW World Report 2026 — Central African Republic hrw.org
- Security Council Report — CAR (July 2026) securitycouncilreport.org
- Global Centre for R2P — Central African Republic globalr2p.org
- Wikipedia — Central African Republic Civil War en.wikipedia.org
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Glostats. (2026). Central African Republic conflict (2026). Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://glostats.com/conflicts/central-african-republic-conflict/<a href="https://glostats.com/conflicts/central-african-republic-conflict/">Central African Republic conflict (2026)</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
This page summarises publicly available reporting and does not take sides. Casualty and force figures are estimates compiled on 19 October 2026; see each figure's source for its method and date. Page generated 2026-10-19. How this tracker works.