Swiss geologist Luca Maggini killed in Central African Republic kidnapping

Swiss geologist Luca Maggini and a local miner were abducted by unidentified men near the village of Gbango‑Carrière, about 55 km north of Bangui, and later killed. The incident also involved the kidnapping of a staff sergeant from the Central African Army.

Maggini was working for ADMOG Gold, an Emirati mining company with contracts in the Central African Republic. The attack occurred amid the country's long‑standing instability, which has seen the presence of Russian mercenary group Wagner and a series of armed groups that have intermittently withdrawn from a 2019 peace agreement.

Authorities in Bangui confirmed the killings and kidnappings, underscoring the ongoing security challenges facing foreign workers and local communities in the region.