Central African Republic Rebels Pick New Army Chief Amid Attacks

Central African Republic Rebels Pick New Army Chief Amid Attacks

 By Jean Louis Gondamoyen and Pauline Bax, Bloomberg News  

12 May 2014  

Muslim rebels in the Central African Republic elected a new leader as at least two villages were attacked over the weekend.

The militia known as ex-Seleka met yesterday and appointed General Joseph Zindeko as army chief to prepare a reorganization of the group before peace talks, spokesman Mahamat Deya said by phone today. The meeting in the town of Ndele, 500 kilometers (310 miles) north of the capital, Bangui, was attended by almost 2,000 fighters, he said.

An international peacekeeping force of almost 8,000 French and African soldiers has failed so far to halt the violence between Christian and Muslim communities that began after the overthrow of ex-president Francois Bozize in March last year. The United Nations today imposed sanctions on three leaders seen as undermining stability in the country, including Bozize, who lives in exile in Benin.

Gunmen burnt down houses in an attack yesterday on the central villages of Lakandjia and Bakala, according to Thierry Tetevy, a resident of Lakandjia. Tetevy spoke by phone from a Catholic church in the Grimari area where an estimated 5,000 people are seeking refuge.

Thousands of people have been killed in clashes between ex-Seleka rebels, who brought Michel Djotodia to power until he resigned in January, and mostly Christian groups that have carried out revenge attacks against those they accuse of sympathizing with the rebels.

Featured Photo: Former Seleka soldiers drive to a village, where residents say was attacked and a mosque burnt the night before by anti-Balaka militiamen, about 25 kilometres (16 miles) from Bambari May 10, 2014. REUTERS/Siegfried Modola

Copyright © Bloomberg News 2014


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