Ippy is a town located in the

Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to Central African Republic–Chad border, the north, Sudan to Central African Republic–Sudan border, the northeast, South Sudan to Central ...

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...

Ouaka Ouaka is one of the 20 Prefectures of the Central African Republic, prefectures of the Central African Republic. It borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, covers an area of 49,900 km2, and has a population of 276,710 (2003 census). In ...

, near the geographic center of the country. It is 364 kilometers (226 miles) from the city of Bangui directly. Driving distance, however, is 496 kilometers (308 miles). Ippy has a car rental service which is popular among tourists visiting the town.

History

The Ippy Hospital was founded by American missionary

Margaret Nicholl Laird Margaret Nicholl Laird (31 July 1897 – June 1983) was an American missionary of the Baptist Mid-Missions who worked in the France, French colony of Ubangi-Shari and independent Central African Republic (CAR) from 1922 until the 1960s. She was ...

with facilities including 60 beds, two operating theaters and a 1,000 English-language medical textbook library. Laird herself worked at the hospital until 1964. The hospital has been described as a "shell of its former self".

Civil war

On 22 December 2012

Séléka Séléka CPSK-CPJP-UFDR was an alliance of rebel militia groups that subjugated the Central African Republic (CAR) on 24 March 2013. After its official dissolution in September 2013, the remaining rebel groups became known as Ex-Séléka. Sél� ...

rebels took control of Ippy. In 2014 it was reported that Ippy was under control of Ali Darassa's UPC. On 6 October 2017 UPC, FPRC and

Anti-balaka The Anti-balaka (''anti-machete'') is an alliance of militia groups based in the Central African Republic in the early 21st century said by ''the Guardian'' to be composed primarily of Christians, but also some Muslims. However, some church leade ...

signed ceasefire in Ippy. On the 12th of December, 2017, Ippy Hospital was subject to an attack by the armed groups UPC and FPRC. Combatants fired indiscriminately on civilian personnel and patients, killing twelve men, one woman, three children, and one baby. On 29 January 2019 18 people were killed and 23 wounded when UPC fighters opened fire during funeral ceremony in Ippy On 19 February 2021 government forces took control of the town.

References

Sub-prefectures of the Central African Republic Populated places in Ouaka {{CentralAfricanRepublic-geo-stub