Body of Journalist Killed in CAR to Be Returned to Family on Tuesday –Co-Author

ROSTOV-ON-DO (Sputnik) - Investigators are planning to hand over the body of Russian director Alexander Rastorguev, killed in the Central African Republic (CAR), to his family on Tuesday after all investigarive proceedings are completed, director's co-author Susanna Baranzhieva told Sputnik.

According to Baranzhieva, transportation of bodies to Moscow will begin on Friday.

"Bodies will be taken to the Investigative Committee, and they promise to release the body only on Tuesday," she said, noting that there was no clarity around burial place, but this issue would be solved in the near future.

READ MORE: No Signs of Torture on Bodies of Russian Journalists Killed in CAR — Moscow

On Monday night, Russian nationals Kyrill Radchenko, Orkhan Dzhemal and Rastorguev were killed near the CAR city of Sibut. The Russian Investigative Committee has already opened a criminal investigation into the case. Russian opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky's investigative media outlet confirmed that it had sent the three journalists to make a documentary film in the CAR.

The CAR has been suffering from sectarian clashes between the Muslims and the Christians since the 2013 coup, when the Muslim Seleka rebels seized control over the country, overthrowing then President Francois Bozize, provoking a backlash from the Christian militia.