Central African Republic: MSF condemns the killing of staff member

BANGUI, Central African Republic—A Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) staff member died on May 28 after being shot three times by an individual employed by the armed forces of the Central African Republic (CAR) in the northwestern prefecture of Ouham. MSF condemns this incident in the strongest possible terms and calls on the authorities to clarify the circumstances leading to the killing of our colleague.

Mahamat Ahamat, 46, worked with MSF as a medicine dispenser in the town of Moyenne-Sido since 2010. He was off-duty and at home when the incident occurred at about 6 a.m. local time. The exact circumstances are still to be clarified, but we know that Mahamat was shot three times, and died of his wounds in Kabo hospital a few hours later.

Mahamat leaves behind a wife and four children. MSF is in touch with his family to provide all necessary assistance in these extremely difficult moments. MSF is also engaging with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defense and other relevant authorities to understand the circumstances leading to this unacceptable situation.

The death of our colleague is a horrible reminder of the ongoing brutal conflict affecting people in CAR. It is essential that civilians as well as humanitarian and medical workers, patients and health facilities are respected and not targeted by parties to the ongoing conflict.