In a press release issued on Friday, the Mission reported that UN peacekeepers tried to hold back a mob of some 300 to 400 people as they attempted to break through the barrier of the base’s entrance by setting it on fire earlier this morning.

At the same time, the crowd, armed with stones and knives, hurled projectiles at the ‘blue helmets’ who responded with warning shots. The incident resulted in the death and injuries of a number of assailants.

“MINUSCA deeply regrets this incident and has decided to immediately open an investigation to determine the exact circumstances in which a Central African citizen lost his life and others were injured,” the Mission said in the press release in which it also expressed its condolences to the family of the deceased.

it added, “MINUSCA reaffirms its commitment to the population in order to calm the situation.”

More than two years of civil war and sectarian violence have displaced thousands of people in CAR. According to UN estimates, nearly 440,000 people remain displaced inside the country while some 190,000 have sought asylum across the borders.

At the same time, more than 36,000 people remain trapped within the landlocked country in enclaves across the country, hoping to find asylum in neighbouring States.