Swiss geologist and local miner kidnapped and killed in Central African Republic

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — A Swiss geologist and a local miner were killed on Thursday in the Central African Republic, north of the capital, Bangui, according to a statement from the local public prosecutor's office on Monday.

Luca Maggini and the miner were kidnapped by unidentified men in the evening and later killed, according to Frédéric Pounou, a geologist who was working alongside Maggini when he was kidnapped.

“It was as he was leaving that he fell into the hands of the attackers,” said Pounou.

The attack occurred near the village of Gbango-Carriere, 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of Bangui, and also resulted in the kidnapping of a staff sergeant in the Central African Army, according to the public prosecutor's statement.

Maggini worked with ADMOG Gold, an Emirati company with contracts in the African country, according to Pounou.

The Central African Republic has faced years of instability, and it is one of the countries where Wagner, a Russian mercenary group, was first active in Africa.

Conflict began in the country in 2013 after mostly Muslim rebels seized power and forced then President François Bozizé to quit. The conflict was de-escalated by a 2019 peace deal between the government and 14 armed groups, but six of the groups later withdrew from the agreement.