Plane Carrying Bodies of Journalists Killed in CAR Lands in Moscow – Source

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - An aircraft carrying the bodies of three Russian journalists killed in the Central African Republic (CAR) landed in Moscow at midnight on Sunday, the source in the Sheremetyevo International Airport told Sputnik.

The Air France plane, after a slight delay, landed in Moscow at around 00:12 local time (GMT 21:12 on Saturday).

“The bodies of the journalists were transported on the Air France flight 1144. They were met by the investigators on the sport. The bodies will be taken to a forensic medical examination, " the source said.

Journalists Orkhan Dzhemal, Alexander Rastorguyev, and Kirill Radchenko were killed near the CAR city of Sibut on July 30. The Russian Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation into the case.

An investigative media of Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky confirmed that it had sent the journalists to the CAR to work on a documentary about mercenary forces allegedly active in the country.

The CAR has been recently suffering from numerous internal conflicts. In 2012-2014, the country faced a civil war, involving the government, Seleka rebel groups' alliance, composed mostly of Muslims, and Anti-balaka militias, whose members were largely Christians. The violence did not stop even after Seleka was dissolved in 2013.