On Thursday, 16th February 2017, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that rebels in the Central African Republic killed at least 32 civilians after clashes with a rival armed group. It was a sign of the fighters’ growing boldness amid limited state authority.

“They certainly feel emboldened to commit worse and worse crimes,” said HRW researcher Lewis Mudge of the rebels in an interview, adding the civilians were likely targeted because they were thought to be allied with rival groups.

The Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC) lured 25 of the civilians to a local school where it shot them after killing seven others earlier the same day, Human Right Watch (HRW) stated. At least 29 other civilians have been killed in fighting around Bakala since late November, it added.

Consequently, the government on Wednesday appointed a prosecutor  to a United Nation – backed special criminal court created to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity, a potential first step toward bringing rebel leaders to justice.

Read more at Reuters