Russian mercenaries fire american missile from Obo toward Congo

In the border town of Obo, located in the Haut-Mbomou region of Centrafrique, Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group launched a surface-to-surface missile toward the République démocratique du Congo last week. The sudden military action has triggered waves of anxiety across both sides of the frontier.

The origin of the weaponry

To understand the events of Thursday night, February 26, one must look back at the history of Obo. For years, elite American soldiers utilized this town as a strategic hub for Operation Observant Compass. This multinational mission, which ran from 2011 to 2017, was designed to track down Joseph Kony and the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army).

During that time, roughly one hundred American Special Forces, including Green Berets, were stationed in camps across Ouganda, Soudan du Sud, and the République centrafricaine. The base at Obo was a high-security installation, fortified with barbed wire and surveillance systems, serving as a launchpad for the hunt for Kony, whose forces were notorious for the abduction and killing of thousands of civilians.

When the mission officially ended in April 2017, the American advisors withdrew. However, they left behind significant military assets. Containers filled with vehicles, various hardware, and at least one surface-to-surface missile remained at the site.

Wagner takes control of the abandoned base

Initially, the Centrafrique national army, the FACA, occupied the former American facility. However, several months ago, Russian paramilitaries arrived in Obo at the request of the Haut-Mbomou prefect. Upon their arrival, the Wagner forces evicted the FACA soldiers and took full control of the base.

The mercenaries began a systematic inventory of the left-behind American equipment, seizing solar panels, tools, and weaponry. Local reports indicate that the prefect had even signaled beforehand that the Russians intended to conduct test fires to determine which discovered weapons were still operational.

A missile flight over the border

On the evening of February 26, Wagner operatives moved a heavy weapon to the local football field in the center of Obo. In full view of the public, they ignited the projectile. The missile ascended like a streak of fire, visible to residents across several neighborhoods. It traveled over the towns of Mboki and Zemio before crossing the international border into Congolese airspace.

The device eventually struck the ground approximately five kilometers from the village of Zapay in the République démocratique du Congo. While no casualties have been reported, the impact caused significant distress in the area. Zapay currently hosts many Centrafrique refugees who previously fled Wagner‘s activities, and many now fear that the strike was an intentional warning that they are never truly safe.

The trajectory appears to have been chosen deliberately. By firing toward the République démocratique du Congo rather than the north, the mercenaries ensured the projectile avoided Bambouti, which is much closer to Obo. The vast forests of the Congo served as a convenient, albeit dangerous, landing zone.

There is no ambiguity regarding the perpetrators. The Wagner Group is the only entity in Obo possessing the technical expertise and the hardware required to launch such a long-range projectile. Witnesses confirmed seeing the Russian forces operating the weapon on the town’s athletic field and aiming it directly toward the border.