Russia Takes Direct Control of Wagner in Central African Republic

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Adil Javed

In the wake of Yevgeny Prighozin's tragic death in a plane crash, the Kremlin has taken direct control of Wagner operations in the Central African Republic (CAR).

President Faustin-Archange Touadéra recently revealed in an interview with The Washington Post that Wagner forces, numbering in the thousands, would continue to remain in the country.

This move has sparked international concern, as it solidifies the Russian government's involvement in CAR's security affairs.

Russia Takes Control of Wagner Operations in African Republic

President Touadéra emphasized that the Russian government has always been the entity with which CAR contracted regarding Wagner's presence and activities in the country.

This was further confirmed by reports of visits to Bangui, the CAR capital, by Russia's Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of Russian Intelligence.

They announced that the Wagner Force would now be under the direct command of the Russian Defence Ministry.

French and American Role

In recent developments, French President hosted President Touadéra, urging him to remove Wagner from CAR.

Simultaneously, an American private military company was offered as a potential replacement for Wagner's mercenary presence.

However, President Touadéra noted that the Russians were not his initial choice when he enlisted their help in 2018, emphasizing that they are ready to take help from United States but accepting American assistance would not necessarily mean replacing Russia's involvement.

The Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organization, has been actively operating in the CAR since 2018.

Initially tasked with providing security assistance to President Touadéra's government and combating rebel groups, their role has expanded significantly.

Wagner in Africa, Growing Influence and Concerns

Recent months have seen the Wagner Group's operations and influence in CAR escalate dramatically.

They have deployed an estimated 2,000 mercenaries, becoming the largest foreign military presence in the country.

Additionally, they have assumed command of key military units and the responsibility of guarding sensitive government sites.

Specific Examples of Wagner's Operations 

Some specific instances highlight Wagner's recent operations and control:

In January 2022, Wagner mercenaries were implicated in a massacre of at least 65 civilians in the village of Aïgbado.

In March 2022, the Wagner Group took command of the Central African Armed Forces' (FACA) Rapid Intervention Force (BIR), a special forces unit.

In April 2022, they assumed responsibility for guarding the Bangui-M'Poko International Airport, the country's main airport.

In June 2022, a contract was signed for Wagner to engage in gold mining in CAR.