Central African Republic: Spanish nun killed

Source: Vatican Media

A 77-year-old Spanish nun, Sister Ines Nieves Sancho, was murdered on Monday. Her badly mutilated body was found early in the morning in the village of Nola, in the remote southwest near the borders with Cameroon and the Republic of Congo. Sister Ines was still working. She dedicated her life to educating women and girls.

During the General Audience with pilgrims in St Peter's Square today, Pope Francis said: "Today I would like to remember Sister Ines, educator of poor girls for decades, barbarously killed in Central Africa in her room where she taught women how to sew. A woman who gave her life for Jesus at the service of the poor."

The authorities are investigating the crime. Sectarian violence exploded in Central African Republic in late 2013 after mostly Christian and animist militia fighters retaliated against Muslim civilians following a brutal rule by a mostly Muslim rebel government. Violence engulfed the capital and the southwest where an untold number of Muslims were slaughtered as they attempted to flee to Cameroon.

A presidential election was held during a period of relative peace in 2016 though instability later returned to many parts of the country. Despite several peace agreements, including one earlier this year, the country remains plagued by conflict.