Joseph Zoundeiko | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1969[1] |
| Died | 11 February 2017 (aged 47) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Union of Democratic Forces for Unity |
| Service years | 2006 – 2012 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Séléka |
| Service years | 2012 – 2014 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Popular Front for the Rebirth of Central African Republic |
| Service years | 2014 – 2017 |
GeneralJoseph Zoundeiko (or Zindeko) (born 1969, died 11 February 2017) was the leader of military wing of theCentral African rebel militia alliance,Séléka.[2]
Born inTiringoulou,Vakaga, he worked as a guard and tracker, securing parklands on the northwestern borders of the country from poachers from neighboring Chad and South Sudan. He joined the CAR army in 1997 and was promoted to lieutenant. In 2006, he joined theUFDR rebel group.President Muchel Djototia later promoted him to major, then colonel and brigadier general.[3] He was appointed on May 9, 2014 by a Séléka congress that gathered more than 500 officers and officials inN'Délé.[2] He has rejected the ceasefire deal agreed between Séléka and the largely ChristianAnti-balaka militias on July 24, 2014, saying the deal had been negotiated without proper input from the military wing.[4] After the dissolution of Séléka, he became head of the Popular Front for the Renaissance of the Central African Republic (FPRC) and often fought with the largelyFulani and rival ex-Séléka militia, the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC) led by General Ali Darrassa. The FPRC reported on 12 February 2017 that Zoundeiko was killed when a UN helicopter fired on fighters advancing towards the town ofBambari the day before.[5][6]