Russian mercenaries belonging to the Wagner Group caused widespread panic last week after launching a surface-to-surface missile from the town of Obo in the Central African Republic. The projectile was fired toward the Democratic Republic of Congo, raising serious security concerns on both sides of the border.

To understand the events that transpired on the night of Thursday, February 26, in Obo, one must look back at the history of this Haut-Mbomou town. For years, it served as a strategic hub for elite American soldiers tasked with tracking down one of Central Africa’s most notorious war criminals.

Between October 2011 and April 2017, Operation Observant Compass saw a multinational military effort led by the United States to neutralize Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). This mission involved approximately one hundred American military advisors, including Green Berets with experience in Afghanistan and Pakistan, stationed across Uganda, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic to support regional forces.

The American troops operated out of several camps, notably Obo and Djema. The base at Obo was a high-security installation, fortified with barbed wire and surveillance systems. It was from this remote location in Haut-Mbomou, near the Congolese border, that specialized forces spent years hunting Kony, whose rebel group was responsible for the abduction and murder of thousands of civilians.

When the operation officially concluded in April 2017, the American advisors withdrew from the region. However, despite their departure, Joseph Kony remained at large. Upon leaving, significant quantities of military hardware—including vehicles and various equipment—were left behind in storage containers at the Obo base. Local reports indicate that at least one American surface-to-surface missile was among the abandoned inventory.

Following the American exit, the base was occupied by the Central African Armed Forces (FACA). However, several months ago, Wagner Group mercenaries arrived in Obo at the request of the Haut-Mbomou prefect. The Russian forces promptly evicted the FACA soldiers and took control of the former American installation.

Once settled, the mercenaries began a systematic search of the abandoned containers, seizing weapons, solar panels, and other technical equipment. Local authorities had previously signaled that the Russian forces intended to conduct “test fires” to determine which recovered weapons were still functional and which should be discarded.

This led to the events of Thursday evening. In full view of the public, Wagner mercenaries positioned a large-caliber weapon on the Obo soccer field. The resulting launch sent a streak of fire through the night sky, visible across several neighborhoods. The missile traveled over the towns of Mboki and Zemio before crossing the international border into Congolese airspace.

The projectile eventually landed approximately five kilometers from the village of Zapay in the DRC. While no casualties have been reported, the impact has left the local population in a state of shock.

The trajectory of the missile appeared calculated. By firing toward the DRC rather than the north, the mercenaries ensured the projectile would not fall on Bambouti, located roughly 125 kilometers away. The vast forests of the Congo served as a convenient impact zone to avoid immediate damage within Central African territory.

In Zapay, the explosion has terrified residents, including many Central African refugees who had fled to the DRC to escape Wagner’s presence in their home country. For these displaced families, the missile launch serves as a chilling reminder that borders may not offer total protection from the group’s reach.

Evidence from the ground confirms that the Wagner militia is the only force in Obo with the technical capability to operate such heavy weaponry. Neither the FACA nor any other local group possesses the means to launch a projectile capable of traveling hundreds of kilometers across an international frontier. Witnesses clearly observed the mercenaries preparing the weapon on the town’s soccer field and aiming it toward the Congo before firing.

As the dust settles in Zapay, Congolese families remain on high alert, watching the skies in fear of further launches from across the border.