BENGUAI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC – Fighters with the former Seleka rebel group attacked a northern town in Central African Republic and clashes left at least 30 dead and 57 wounded as United Nations peacekeepers confronted them.
Pakistani army repelled the attackers, killing at least 12 of them. The attack in Kaga-Bandoro was likely retaliation for the death on Tuesday of a suspected former Seleka member, the UN mission said in a statement.
Fighters from Central African Republic’s largely Muslim ‘Seleka’ militia attacked refugees in the country’s remote north on Wednesday, stabbing or hacking to death at least 10 people before Pakistani peacekeepers dispersed them.
Central African Republic descended into conflict in 2013 when the mostly Muslim Seleka rebels overthrew the Christian president Francois Bozize.
That ushered in a brutal reign with many atrocities committed. When the rebel leader left power, a backlash by the Christian anti-Balaka militia against Muslim civilians followed.
Pope Francis visited the capital at the end of last year to implore Christians and Muslims to end a spiral of hate.
