Wagner fighters arrive in CAR ahead of referendum

Several hundred ‘experienced’ Wagner fighters have arrived in the CAR to secure a referendum on 30 July, a Russian private security company said yesterday. The troubled nation, where Wagner mercenaries are already helping the government fight rebels, will vote on a constitutional change which could enable President Faustin Archange Touadera to seek a third term in office. News24 reports that the Officers' Union for International Security (OUIS) said ‘the planned rotation continues’. ‘Several hundred experienced professionals from the Wagner company are joining the team working in CAR,’ said the statement. According to the US, OUIS is a front company for the Wagner group in CAR. It is run by Russian Alexandre Ivanov, who was placed under American sanctions in January. In recent weeks, several foreign sources have said that Wagner fighters were leaving CAR, which the government has denied.

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