How did the Lord’s Resistance Army affect civilians in southern Central African Republic?

In the southern region of the Central African Republic, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has terrorized the civilian population by operating in small, mobile bands that exploit the country's lack of border control.12

The LRA’s impact on civilians includes:

• Violence and Abduction: The group frequently abducts civilians, including children, to serve as recruits.12
• Pillaging: Fighters attack unprotected villages to forcibly seize food and clothing.1
• Terror Tactics: The LRA utilizes killings and mutilations as a deliberate strategy to spread fear and discourage the local population from cooperating with national or foreign armies.1

These actions have contributed to significant insecurity and displacement within the country, leaving many civilians in urgent need of humanitarian aid.2