MOSCOW – Several hundred “experienced” Wagner fighters have arrived in Central African Republic to secure a vote on July 30, according to a Russian private security firm.
The volatile country, where Wagner mercenaries are already assisting the government in fighting rebels, will vote on a constitutional amendment that might allow President Faustin Archange Touadera to run for a third term.
“Another plane has arrived in Bangui with instructors to work in the Central African Republic,” the Officers’ Union for International Security (OUIS) announced through Telegram.
“The scheduled rotation continues. “Several hundred experienced Wagner professionals have joined the team working in CAR,” according to the announcement.
“Russian instructors will continue to assist soldiers in the Central African armed forces in order to ensure security ahead of the constitutional referendum on July 30.”
The United States claims that OUIS is a front company for the Wagner group in CAR. It is led by Russian Alexandre Ivanov, who was sanctioned by the US in January.
OUIS stated in its statement that its instructors had been training CAR security forces for more than five years, allowing for an improvement in the country’s overall security.
Several foreign sources have claimed in recent weeks that Wagner fighters were fleeing CAR, which the government has rejected.
The future of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s private paramilitary squad is unknown after it conducted a brief mutiny against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government on June 23 and 24.
Wagner militants seized Russian army bases and proceeded towards Moscow before surrendering in accordance with a deal negotiated with Putin and arranged by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the contents of which remain unknown.
However, its international activities, particularly in Syria and several African nations, have not been openly questioned.
Source: AFP