UN humanitarian agencies expressed deep concern on Thursday over escalating armed violence affecting civilians in southeastern Central African Republic (CAR).

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that ambushes in the Mboki region over the past weekend killed several civilians and heightened intercommunal tensions. The attacks also led to the destruction of multiple homes and the displacement of around 1,000 people, many of whom sought refuge at a local Catholic church.

Mboki has experienced repeated clashes, and humanitarian access remains severely restricted due to insecurity and poor communications, OCHA noted. Last week, two staff members from a local NGO collaborating with the UN Population Fund were injured by stray bullets while providing essential food, protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene support.

While some areas of CAR have seen improvements in security, violence continues to worsen conditions in other regions, with roughly 50,000 people currently in need of humanitarian assistance, OCHA said.

The International Crisis Group highlighted in its November CAR report that although the state’s overall security has improved and the country no longer faces an existential threat, pockets of insecurity persist in rural areas. Armed groups continue to attempt control over mining sites and engage in banditry, further destabilizing local communities.

The UN and humanitarian organizations stressed the urgent need for protection measures and continued support to assist affected populations amid ongoing insecurity.