Bangui, Central African Republic
Armed gangs in the lawless northern region of the Central African Republic are seizing local children and demanding ransoms from their parents, Amnesty International said this week. Many families have paid up to $4,000 dollars for their kids, and some parents have had their children kidnapped as many as seven times. An unknown number of children have been killed. Amnesty said criminal gangs are taking advantage of the chaos that has long gripped the area, where rebel groups and government soldiers are battling for control. “News is clearly spreading to criminal elements that they can have free reign,” said Amnesty researcher Godfrey Byaruhanga. “There is almost a total lack of any authority.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of JulyCartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
-
Crossword: July 5, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
