An attack on Egyptian peacekeepers by the Central African Republic's presidential guard could amount to a "war crime," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday, calling for a swift investigation in the war-torn country.
Members of the guard fired on the newly deployed peacekeepers on Monday as they traveled in a bus in the capital Bangui, injuring 10 just two weeks ahead of the end of the UN mission's mandate in the impoverished nation.
"The secretary-general emphasizes that attacks against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute a war crime," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
"He calls on the Central African authorities to spare no effort in investigating and promptly holding accountable the perpetrators of this unacceptable attack," Dujarric said.
The Egyptian police contingent was unarmed and traveling around 120 meters (yards) from the presidential residence in a bus marked "UN" at the time of the attack, according to the UN.
In its attempt to leave the area, the bus struck a woman who subsequently died.
Guterres "expresses his deep condolences to the bereaved family of the Central African civilian who was killed during the incident," Dujarric said.
A spokesman for CAR President Faustin Archange Touadera said the UN bus had driven towards the presidential residence and finally complied with signals to turn back, but one passenger had taken photos of the building, "which is strictly forbidden."
Members of the presidential guard had fired warning shots, some of which had wounded the passengers, the spokesman said.
Guterres "strongly" condemned the attack and wished "a speedy and full recovery to the wounded peacekeepers and civilians," Dujarric said.
The secretary-general also reiterated "his gratitude to the people and the government of Egypt for their contribution to peace and stability in the Central African Republic."
The second-poorest country in the world, according to UN figures, the CAR has been ravaged by a civil war since 2013, although the level of fighting has fallen off since 2018.
MINUSCA, whose mandate runs out on November 15, has nearly 12,000 troops in the former French colony, and is one of the UN's costliest operations, with an annual budget in excess of $1 billion.
