China’s President Demands Justice For Slain Mine Workers In Central African Republic

China’s President Xi Jinping on Monday called for the perpetrators of the attack on nine Chinese mine workers who were killed in an attack in the Central African Republic to be punished.

The killings were carried out by armed men and happened at about 5:00 am near Bambari, the central town’s mayor Abel Matchipata disclosed to the media.

Matchipata informed AFP that “nine bodies and two wounded” had been counted, adding that the victims were Chinese workers at a site run by the Gold Coast Group, 25 kilometres (15 miles) from his town.

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China’s foreign ministry confirmed the toll, and Xi called on authorities in the Central African Republic to “severely punish” those behind the killings.

The president had ordered “an all-out effort to treat the wounded, handle the aftermath in a timely manner, severely punish perpetrators in accordance with the law, and ensure the safety of Chinese citizens,” an unnamed China foreign ministry spokesperson revealed.

In a statement on Sunday, the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), an alliance of rebel groups created in December 2020 to overthrow President Faustin Archange Touadera, denied any involvement in the attack.

The group denounced the “despicable and barbaric” act, accusing the Russian Wagner mercenary group of being behind the killings.

Meanwhile, China’s aviation regulator revealed on Monday that investigators were still looking into the cause of the crash of China Eastern Airlines’ Flight MU5735, almost a year after the plane came down, killing all 132 people on board.