Bria | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 6°32′13″N21°59′31″E / 6.53694°N 21.99194°E | |
Country | Central African Republic |
Prefecture | Haute-Kotto |
Government | |
• Sub-Prefect | Brahim Abdoulaye [1] |
• Mayor | Maurice Balekouzou |
Elevation | 553 m (1,814 ft) |
Population (2012) | |
• Total | 43,322 |
• Ethnicities | Goula Peuhl |
Bria is the capital of Haute-Kotto, one of the 14 prefectures of the Central African Republic. As of the 2003 census the town had a population of 35,204.
Bria is located on the Kotto River.
In 1930, a ginning factory was established in Bria by the Comouna cotton company.
On 18 December 2012 Bria was captured by Séléka rebels. [2] On 21 November 2016 an armed conflict broke out between the ethnicities Gula and Peuhl representing different armed groups resulting in death of 92 people, many more injured and 12000 refugees around the UN camp outside the city.
On 18 May 2017 heavy clashes erupted between Anti-balaka and ex-Seleka in Bria resulting in 26 deaths. [3] On 21 June 2017 clashes between rival factions resulting in death of around 100 people. [4] On 4 December 2017 Anti-balaka fighters led by Jean-Francis Diandi attacked international forces in Bria killing one Mauritanian peacekeeper. [5] On 16 March 2018 Jean-Francis Diandi was arrested by peacekeepers. [6] On 6 September 2018 Séléka rebels killed a number of people, most of them women. [7] [8]
On 25–6 January 2020 MLCJ attacked Bria capturing more than 60% of the city after 24 hours of clashes with FPRC. [9] On 28 January both groups signed ceasefire promising to withdraw fighters from parts of the town. [10] On 22 March 2021 Bria was recaptured by government forces. [11] One FPRC fighter was killed. [12] On 2 April rebels launched attack on Bria which was repelled, two rebels and one soldier were killed. [13]
Since 15 December 2021, Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group have arrested numerous people – mainly youths – inside the town, leading to reported human rights abuses. On 4 January, the Wagner Group gunned down young people in a massacre. At 5:00 P.M. mercenaries entered the local mosque and removed the corpses of their victims from the building. [14] [15]
Bria has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw), with a lengthy though not intense wet season from mid-March to October and a relatively short and mostly rainless dry season from November to mid-March. Although the wet season is longer than the dry season, the dry season is sufficiently dry and the wet season insufficiently wet for tropical monsoon classification.[ citation needed ]
Climate data for Bria | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 34.6 (94.3) | 36.8 (98.2) | 36.9 (98.4) | 34.7 (94.5) | 32.9 (91.2) | 31.3 (88.3) | 30.7 (87.3) | 30.3 (86.5) | 31.3 (88.3) | 31.8 (89.2) | 32.2 (90.0) | 33.6 (92.5) | 33.1 (91.6) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.5 (76.1) | 27.6 (81.7) | 28.2 (82.8) | 28.0 (82.4) | 27.3 (81.1) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.5 (77.9) | 25.1 (77.2) | 25.7 (78.3) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.4 (77.7) | 24.2 (75.6) | 26.1 (79.0) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14.5 (58.1) | 17.9 (64.2) | 19.7 (67.5) | 21.5 (70.7) | 21.0 (69.8) | 20.5 (68.9) | 20.2 (68.4) | 20.2 (68.4) | 20.1 (68.2) | 19.9 (67.8) | 18.1 (64.6) | 15.3 (59.5) | 19.1 (66.3) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 8 (0.3) | 12 (0.5) | 60 (2.4) | 108 (4.3) | 174 (6.9) | 174 (6.9) | 219 (8.6) | 230 (9.1) | 232 (9.1) | 195 (7.7) | 28 (1.1) | 2 (0.1) | 1,442 (57) |
Source 1: Normales et records pour la période 2000-2012 à Bria , [16] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Climate Bria - Central African Republic for rainfall totals , [17] |
Bambari is a town in the Central African Republic, lying on the Ouaka River. It has a population of 41,356 and is the capital of Ouaka prefecture. Bambari is an important market town and is home to Bambari Airport, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bambari.
N'Délé or Ndele is a market town and sub prefecture in the north eastern Central African Republic, lying east of the Bamingui-Bangoran National Park. Ndélé is the capital of Bamingui-Bangoran, one of the 16 prefectures of the Central African Republic. N'Délé had a population of 10,850 as of the 2003 census; and a calculated 2013 population of 13,704.
Birao is the capital of Vakaga, one of the 14 prefectures of the Central African Republic and was an administrative post in the colony of Ubangui-Shari. In March 2007, the town was almost completely burnt down in the fighting between rebels and government troops in the area.
Bozoum is the capital of Ouham-Pendé, one of the 14 prefectures of the Central African Republic.
Ouadda is a town located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Haute-Kotto.
Kembé is a town located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Basse-Kotto. The Kotto Falls double waterfall is nearby.
Bakouma is a sub-prefecture in the prefecture of Mbomou in Central African Republic. The area is known for its prosperity of mineral resources which have for a long time remained unexploited.
Ouanda Djallé is a sub-prefecture and town in the prefecture of Vakaga in the Central African Republic. It is located 130 km south of Birao. By population it is one of the smallest sub-prefectures in the country.
Grimari is a city located in the Ouaka prefecture in Central African Republic, approximately 222.7 kilometres (138.4 mi) away from the capital, Bangui. The politician Abel Goumba was born in Grimari.
Mingala is a sub-prefecture and town in the Basse-Kotto Prefecture of the southern Central African Republic.
Movement of Central African Liberators for Justice was a rebel group in the Central African Republic led by Abakor Sabone. The group was a splinter group from the Union of Democratic Forces for Unity and was involved in fighting in the Central African Republic Bush War. The groups mainly drew from the Kara ethnic group.
The Central African Republic Civil War is an ongoing civil war in the Central African Republic (CAR) involving the government, rebels from the Séléka coalition, and Anti-balaka militias.
The Anti-balaka (anti-machete) is an alliance of militia groups based in the Central African Republic in the early 21st century said by the Guardian to be composed primarily of Christians, but also some Muslims. However, some church leaders have contested the claimed exclusively Christian character of such groups. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation and journalist Andrew Katz have noted that animists also participate in Anti-balaka groups.
Satema is a sub-prefecture of Basse-Kotto in the Central African Republic.
The following is a timeline of events during the Central African Republic Civil War.
In 2020 heavy clashes between ex-Séléka groups erupted in N'Délé in Central African Republic. Fighting was largely along ethnic lines between Rounga factions of FPRC and ethnically Goula and Kara rebel groups.
Nzacko or Nzako is a village located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Mbomou on the road between Bakouma and Bria.
Patriotic Rally for the Renewal of the Central African Republic was an armed group in the Central African Republic based in northern part of the country, in Ouadda and Sam Ouandja in Haute-Kotto and Tiringoulou in Vakaga.
Aïgbado or Aïgbando is a village located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Haute-Kotto.