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The Treasury Department has announced new sanctions against two businesses in the Central African Republic (CAR) that the US claims are linked to the Russian Wagner Group.

According to a readout, the sanctions will target Mining Industries and Logistique Economique Etrangere, which are allegedly supporting the Wagner Group’s mercenary and illegal mining operations within the CAR.

Mining Industries has been sanctioned for leasing aircraft from a previously sanctioned Emirati firm, which Wagner reportedly used for transporting personnel and equipment across Africa. Logistique Economique Etrangere faces sanctions for accepting numerous shipments of heavy materials from another CAR-based company sanctioned in March, suspected of facilitating Wagner’s mining ventures.

Brian Nelson, a Treasury official, stated, “The Russia-backed Wagner Group and its network of businesses have exploited the people and natural resources of the Central African Republic to advance the group’s agenda. The United States will continue to use its sanctions authorities to disrupt those supporting Russia’s destabilizing activities in Africa.”

Digging Deeper:
In 2023, the Biden administration formally designated the Wagner Group as a “transnational criminal organization,” leading to a series of sanctions against the mercenary force. This follows allegations by Human Rights Watch in 2022, which accused Wagner mercenaries of executing, torturing, and beating civilians in CAR from 2019 to 2021.