In a statement issued to the press, the 15-member body “condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly attack” on 25 February by unknown assailants.

The other five victims were two officials of the country’s Ministry of Education, and three members of Bangui Sans Frontières, a UNICEF partner.

The statement said that Council members were “appalled” that the victims were targeted while traveling to provide training for community teachers who were to start teaching in temporary learning spaces set up by UNICEF and partners for 2,000 crisis-affected children in Markounda.

The Council reiterated the urgent and imperative need to hold accountable all perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses and international humanitarian law violations, irrespective of their status or political affiliation, and demanded that all armed groups lay down their arms and engage constructively in the peace process immediately and unconditionally.