Séléka takeover (2012–2013) Séléka–Anti-balaka conflict (2013–2020) CPC rebellion (2020–) Between 6 and 16 December 2021, a number of Muslim civilians were killed and injured by Anti-balaka fighters supported by government forces and Russian mercenaries in the Boyo commune, located in the Ouaka prefecture of the Central African Republic (CAR).

In August 2021, security forces approached former Anti-balaka leader in Bambari and asked him to remobilizie his fighters to fight against UPC rebels.

FACA operations in Boyo against UPC elements resumed on 24 November 2021, causing numerous injuries and deaths among the opposing parties.

From there they continued on foot through the village of Zoumoko and, on 1 December 2021, Atongo-Bakari before reaching Boyo, with the objective of neutralizing the UPC rebels and their accomplices.

[1] On 6 December 2021, at dawn, according to concordant sources, around 240 assailants, mainly men but among them eight women, at the very least, entered the village of Boyo, under the command of the Anti-balaka general Edmond.

They were described by witnesses as wearing mostly civilian clothes and armed with home-made guns, Kalashnikovs and grenades, but mainly with bladed weapons such as machetes.

Between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., the assailants forced Muslim men from Boyo to gather at the market place, sparing the Christians, under the threat of their weapons.

On the same day, around 6:30 p.m., three anti-Balaka leaders under the command of Edmond sent one of their fighters to summon the interim mayor of Boyo and two other members of the Muslim community.

[1] On 7 December 2021, around 5 a.m., armed elements identified as UPC fighters tried to counterattack with firearms but were routed by the much more numerous Anti-balaka attackers.

The acting mayor of Boyo knelt before him, waving the CAR national flag, and kept begging him for 30 minutes to reconsider before he backed down from carrying out his threat.

The first machete injuries were also recorded during the same period, one of the victims, a man, was interrogated at 5 a.m. on December 7, 2021, by the attackers who accused him of being a Seleka general.

They found them, injured them with machetes and demanded a ransom of 5 million CFA Francs against the release of their father who was held captive at the Boyo mosque.

On the night of December 8 to 9, 2021, while the villagers were sequestered in the Boyo mosque, groups of two to four assailants entered the homes of Muslims, forcing the doors, to loot property.

[1] MINUSCA investigations confirmed that the attackers intentionally targeted and killed 19 civilians, including 16 adults (men) and three minors (male), all belonging to the Muslim community.

The Boyo health center had been looted and was not operational at the time of the events, the victims were unable to access medical and psychosocial assistance.

Furthermore, given the absence of a telephone network and the remoteness of Boyo, one victim declared that he had not been able to go to Bambari to access care, because his identity documents, necessary to make the trip , had been burned during the fire in his house.

[1] On December 9, 2021, an Anti-balaka leader came from Bambari and asked the victims sequestered at the mosque a payment of 5 million CFA francs for the release of all these Muslims.

[1] On December 10, 2021, at around 11 p.m., in Tagbara, four armed assailants traveling at high speed on four motorcycles opened fire on a MINUSCA Force patrol.

[1] On 11 December, in another part of Ouaka prefecture, Anti-balaka fighters supported by FACA and Russian mercenaries attacked Goya village near Kouango, killing more than 10 Muslim civilians who had been leaving their mosque following the 15:00 prayer.

[8][7] On December 16, Anti-balaka fighters attacked Zimako village, located on the Ippy–Gallougou axis, killing five people, including two Muslims and two Christians, before withdrawing towards Boyo.

[5] On 24 December, the Coalition of Patriots for Change, a partnership of major CAR rebel groups including UPC, officially condemned the Boyo massacre and denied involvement, accusing mercenaries employed by government forces.