Dembia

Dembia
Dembia is located in Central African Republic
Dembia
Dembia
Location in Central African Republic
Coordinates: 5°6′37″N 24°27′57″E / 5.11028°N 24.46583°E / 5.11028; 24.46583
CountryCentral African Republic
PrefectureMbomou
Sub-prefectureRafai
CommuneOuara

Dembia is a village located near the border of Mbomou and Haut-Mbomou Prefecture.

Insurgency

LRA attack

On 28 March 2010, Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) attacked Dembia. Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) soldiers chased the LRA fighters and managed to kill fifteen.

On 18 March 2016, LRA bands attacked Dembia. They looted the villagers' properties and abducted seven people, six men and a woman. They were released three days later. The residents, however, had fled to the bush before the attack happened after they heard the presence of the LRA near Dembia. After the attack, they gradually returned to Dembia. Nevertheless, hearing rumors of an LRA attack, they fled to the bush again. They only went back to Dembia at the end of April.

UPC attack

UPC rebels from Zemio attacked Dembia on 20 November 2017. They looted and burned 75% of the houses in Dembia. Moreover, they massacred 46 people, 44 men, and 2 women. As a result, the villagers fled to Rafai, Bangassou, and Congo DR. Those who fled to Congo DR returned to the village at the end of April 2019.

The clash between the village's self-defense group and UPC happened in Dembia on 6 July 2023 because the rebels erected a barrier at the crossroad without the villager's approval. Casualties were reported on both sides, and the self-defense group captured one UPC officer. Afterward, he was transferred to Rafai for further investigation.

AAKG attack

On 1 October 100 AAKG, led by Celestin Bakayogo Leman and Elie Gomengue, entered Dembia and occupied it for six days. During the group occupation, they targeted Muslim and Sudanese asylum seekers and killed around 20 people. Due to the attack, MINUSCA established a temporary base in the village.

AAKG militias stormed FACA soldiers in Dembia on 3 February 2026, capturing four of them.

Demographics

The largest ethnic group in Dembia is Zande, followed by Fula, Nzakara, and Yakoma. Since January 2024, the village has accepted Sudanese refugees.

Education

There is one school in the village.

Healthcare

Dembia has one public health center.

Security

There is a gendarmerie post in Dembia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 MINUSCA 2025, p. 7.
  2. ↑ ICG, ICG (28 April 2010). LRA: A Regional Strategy beyond Killing Kony (PDF) (Report). p. 27. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  3. ↑ ACTED (11 May 2016). RCA RRM : Evaluation Multisectorielle à Dembia (Mbomou), Rapport Préliminaire (ACTED / 11.05.2016) (Report). p. 1. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  4. 1 2 Krock, Fred. "Centrafrique: Le regain de tension à Rafaï fait deux morts". corbeaunews-centrafrique. Corbeau News Centrafrique. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  5. ↑ OCHA (3 December 2017). ARépublique centrafricaine : Zone Est - Bambari Rapport hebdomadaire de la situation no 46 (03 Décembre 2017) (Report). p. 1. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  6. ↑ ACTED 2019, p. 1.
  7. ↑ Ndoumba, Félix. "Violent affrontement à Dembia : Capture d'un officier rebelle de l'UPC". corbeaunews-centrafrique. Corbeaunews Centrafrique. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  8. ↑ UN Security Council (15 June 2025). Letter dated 15 June 2025 from the Panel of Experts pursuant to Security Council resolution 2745 (2024) addressed to the President of the Security Council (Report). UN Security Council. p. 28. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  9. ↑ Crisis Group, Crisis Group. "Central African Republic: Reining in the Zandé Militia". crisisgroup.org. Crisis Group. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  10. ↑ UN, UN. "UN report reveals brutal attacks targeting Muslims, refugees in Central African Republic". news.un.org. United Nations. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  11. ↑ International Crisis Group (February 2026). CrisisWatch 2026 – February Trends and March Alerts (PDF) (Report). p. 2. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  12. 1 2 ACTED 2019, p. 14.
  13. ↑ World Health Organization (March 2017). Enquête rapide sur l'estimation des besoins de santé des populations affectées par la crise en République Centrafricaine en 2016 (PDF) (Report). p. SS. Retrieved 6 February 2023.

Bibliography