According to a spokesperson for the CAR presidency on Saturday, the departure of hundreds of Russian Wagner troops from the Central African Republic is not a withdrawal but rather a rotation of forces.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the creator of the Wagner mercenary organization, led a brief rebellion in Russia in June, which prompted concerns about the future of his organization’s extensive network of military and commercial operations throughout the Central African Republic, other regions of Africa, the Middle East, and other regions.
Wagner has reportedly helped the government put down various rebel insurgencies since 2018, but reports of their recent departure in significant numbers by plane from CAR have stoked rumors that the group is leaving the nation.
However, Albert Yaloke Mokpem, a spokeswoman for CAR’s president, claimed that “it is not a definitive departure but a rotation.”
At a press conference in the nation’s capital, Bangui, he added, “Some have gone, and others will come.”
According to a military source who spoke to Reuters under the condition of anonymity and without providing any other information, several hundred Wagner soldiers have recently fled the nation.
It is unknown how many are still alive. There were reportedly 1,900 Russian mercenaries working there, including some from Wagner.
Wagner’s business in CAR could be reorganized, which could have significant commercial repercussions.
According to analysts, Wagner was given ownership and operation of a gold mine in the CAR. A CAR business was among many, including one from the UAE, that the United States said were involved in supporting Wagner through illegal gold trades. As a result, the United States imposed sanctions on them in June.
Reuters
