A Zambian peacekeeper serving with the United Nations was killed during an ambush in the northern region of the Central African Republic (CAR), the UN announced Tuesday, as Security Council members voiced alarm over the mounting violence targeting peacekeeping forces in the country.
The attack occurred Friday near the village of Am-Sissia 1, close to CAR’s border with Sudan, where a U.N. patrol team came under assault by suspected Sudanese armed elements, AP reported. According to a statement from the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, the attack left one peacekeeper dead and another wounded, who is currently receiving medical care.
The deceased was identified as 33-year-old Stephen Muloké Sachachoma, a soldier in Zambia’s military contingent serving with MINUSCA, the U.N. mission in the conflict-torn nation.
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Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mulambo Haimbe, called for accountability in the aftermath of the attack.
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“Zambia remains resolute in its commitment to advancing international peace and security as a foundation for sustainable development, both at regional and global levels,” Haimbe stated.
This marks the third such assault on MINUSCA forces in 2025, underscoring the escalating dangers faced by peacekeepers as armed factions persist in battling for territorial dominance across CAR’s unstable regions.
“The members of the Security Council expressed their deep concern over the increasing number of attacks against peacekeepers in the Central African Republic,” the UN spokesperson’s office said.
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Since a 2013 rebellion toppled President François Bozizé, the Central African Republic has struggled to contain violence. While a 2019 peace agreement brought a temporary lull, nearly half of the 14 armed groups that signed the deal later withdrew, reigniting hostilities.
The country was also one of the first in Africa to permit the presence of Russian-linked forces, which Moscow claimed would bolster security and combat militias. However, these troops have been accused of serious human rights violations, with critics saying their involvement has, in some cases, worsened the security crisis.
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