Wagner Secures Presidential Referendum in Central Africa

The presidency in the Central African Republic announced today, Monday, that dozens of fighters from the Russian private military group Wagner have arrived in the country to help secure a constitutional referendum on July 30 that may result in an extension of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra's term. Spokesman Albert Yalook Mokpimi commented on the new arrivals, stating, "Every year there is a rotation. Some leave and others arrive... and they do this regularly." He added, "They also came here to secure the constitutional referendum," refusing to disclose the composition of the arriving forces. A senior military official in the Central African Republic's capital stated that the number of arrivals is in the hundreds.