Missile fired from abandoned us base in central african republic lands in dr Congo

In a startling incident, mercenaries from the Russian-affiliated Wagner Group launched a ground-to-ground missile from the town of Obo in the Haut-Mbomou region of the Central African Republic (CAR) last week. The projectile crossed into the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), raising concerns on both sides of the border.

The missile, identified by local sources as an American-made weapon, was reportedly retrieved from an abandoned storage facility left behind by U.S. military forces that previously operated in the area. These forces were part of a multinational mission targeting the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and its notorious leader, Joseph Kony.

a forgotten legacy: the u.s. mission against the lra

Between October 2011 and April 2017, U.S. special operations forces, including Green Berets with combat experience in Afghanistan and Pakistan, were deployed in the Central African Republic as part of Operation Observant Compass. Their mission was to support Ugandan military efforts to dismantle the LRA, a rebel group responsible for widespread atrocities in northern Uganda, including abductions, killings, and mutilations of civilians.

The U.S. troops were stationed in several locations, including Obo and Djema in the Central African Republic. The base in Obo was heavily fortified with surveillance cameras and barbed wire, serving as a strategic outpost near the border with the DRC. Despite their efforts, Joseph Kony evaded capture, and the operation officially concluded in 2017 with the withdrawal of American forces.

Upon their departure, a significant amount of military equipment—including vehicles, supplies, and, according to local accounts, weapons such as a ground-to-ground missile—was left behind in storage containers at the Obo base. The equipment was abandoned, left to deteriorate under the watch of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA), who took over the site after the Americans left.

Wagner group takes control and uncovers hidden arsenal

In recent months, Wagner Group mercenaries, deployed to the Haut-Mbomou region at the request of local authorities, arrived in Obo. They forcibly removed FACA troops from the former U.S. base and began searching through the abandoned storage containers. Local officials had previously announced that the mercenaries would conduct test firings to assess the condition of the weapons found, discarding any that were deemed defective.

The evening of February 26 marked a turning point. Wagner operatives transported a heavy-caliber weapon to Obo’s central football field, where they assembled and fired it under the cover of darkness. Witnesses reported seeing a fiery projectile launch into the night sky, visible from multiple neighborhoods in Obo. The missile traversed the town of Mboki and Zemio before crossing into Congolese territory, ultimately landing approximately five kilometers from the village of Zapay in the DRC.

No immediate casualties were reported from the impact, but the incident sent shockwaves through the region. Zapay, a Congolese village near the border, is home to refugees who fled violence linked to Wagner’s operations in the CAR. The choice of trajectory—deliberately aimed away from nearby Bambouti—suggested a calculated effort to avoid collateral damage on the Central African side, with the dense Congolese forest serving as a deliberate impact zone.

a deliberate provocation or reckless act?

The implications of the missile launch are far-reaching. Local residents in Zapay, including Congolese families and displaced Central Africans, spent the night scanning the skies, fearing additional attacks. The incident underscored the Wagner Group’s control over heavy weaponry in Obo, as no other armed group or government force in the area possesses the capability to fire a projectile that travels hundreds of kilometers across an international border.

Witnesses confirmed seeing Wagner operatives handling the weapon, aiming it toward the DRC, and executing the launch. The group’s presence in the region, combined with their access to abandoned U.S. military stockpiles, raises serious questions about the security risks posed by unsecured military equipment in post-conflict zones.

The fallout from this incident extends beyond the immediate border region. It highlights the lingering consequences of foreign military interventions and the unresolved threats posed by armed groups in Central Africa. As communities on both sides of the border grapple with the aftermath, the question remains: who is responsible for ensuring that abandoned weapons do not become tools of further instability?