Mercenaries from the Russia-linked Wagner group have been accused of raping moms in a maternity ward in the Central African Republic: report

• Russian Wagner mercenaries allegedly raped women who had just given birth, the Daily Beast reported.
• Three Wagner mercenaries allegedly stormed a maternity clinic in the Central African Republic.

Mercenaries with the Wagner group have been accused of raping mothers who had just given birth at a maternity ward in the Central African Republic (CAR), the Daily Beast reported.

Several unnamed officials stationed at CAR's military headquarters told the Daily Beast that three Russian Wagner mercenaries "stormed the maternity ward and began to sexually assault women on admission," on April 10.

The ward was located at the Henri Izamo military camp in the capital Bangui.

The Wagner group is owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The mercenaries have operated in multiple countries including Syria and are now also operating in Ukraine.

The three mercenaries allegedly entered the ward with pistols and whisky in their hands, a witness told the HumAngle, a West and Central Africa-focused news site.

The men then began "indecently touching" two women who had just given birth and signaled for sex. When a nurse intervened and asked them to stop, they took turns raping her as well.

This isn't the first incident of rape and harassment by Wagner Group mercenaries in CAR. In October 2021, UN experts issued a report expressing concern that civilians, including peacekeepers, journalists, aid workers, and minorities, were violently harassed or intimidated by Wagner mercenaries.

The experts called on the CAR government to end all relations with the group. Additionally, they said women, men, and young girls experienced sexual violence in many parts of the country, but it's unclear how many since most are terrified to report their assaults.

An official told the Daily Beast it's difficult to prosecute mercenaries for assault or wrongdoing.

"Disciplining a Russian instructor who has committed a crime is not what the military can confidently act on," a senior CAR military official told The Daily Beast privately. "Only the president can decide on how to deal with the Russians."

Earlier this week, Human Rights Watch also released a report that Russian Wagner mercenaries summarily executed, tortured, and beaten civilians since 2019, and called for either CAR's Special Criminal Court or the International Criminal Court to investigate.