Armed men attack neighborhood in CAR capital, kill three
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Senegalese UN peacekeeping forces stand guard in the Muslim PK5 district of Bangui, the Central African Republic
At least three people have been killed and hundreds of others forced to flee their homes in the Central African Republic (CAR) over an attack by gunmen against a neighborhood in the country’s capital.
The deadly incident occurred in the predominantly Muslim PK5 neighborhood of the capital, Bangui, on Monday when armed men with machine guns and heavy weapons raided the neighborhood.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but members of the anti-Balaka militia are suspected.
According to witnesses, soldiers from the United Nations mission in the CAR engaged the assailants and were ultimately able to repel them. Reports said fighting had died down when night fell.
Earlier, on Sunday, fully armed members of ex-rebel group Seleka had abducted six police officers in the capital, according to Minister of the Interior Jean-Serge Bokassa. It was, however, not clear whether the Monday attack and the Sunday kidnappings were linked.
Meanwhile, police sources said Tuesday that some 16 people have lost their lives in two days of fighting between Fulani herdsmen and seleka rebels in the northern town of Kaga Bandoro.
EA
