[3] In the Central African Republic, the origin of the zaraguinas, many were former rebels who helped President François Bozizé come to power during his 2003 coup.
[5] They grew to control large portions of the country starting in the early 2000s, and resulted in the displacement of over 100,000 people due to unsafe living conditions and lack of government access to zaraguina-controlled land.
[9] Fulani herders are common targets of zaraguinas for the same reason, due to their valuable cattle herds which can be sold for money or used as sources of food.
[10] Zaraguinas began spilling over in large numbers to Cameroon in the 1990s, during attempts by Ange-Félix Patassé, the then-president of The CAR, to eradicate the gangs.
[12] Some gangs that originated in Central Africa have migrated as far as Niger and Nigeria,[13] and perpetrate similar acts of crime.