60 killed in African Republic fighting

BANGUI, Central African Republic: At least 60 people have been killed in the last two days in fighting between the new Central African Republic president’s forces and those loyal to ousted leader Francois Bozize, the presidency said Monday.
Bozize forces infiltrated villages around Bossangoa, 250 km (155 miles) northwest of the capital Bangui, destroying bridges and other infrastructure and “taking revenge against the Muslim population,” the presidency’s spokesman Guy-Simplice Kodegue said.
“At least 60 people were killed in these attacks,” he said.
Bossangoa is the main town of the Ouham district where General Bozize was born. Former rebels of the Seleka coalition ended Bozize’s 10-year rule on March 24 and their leader, Michel Djotodia, then became head of state.
On Monday morning, “heavy and light arms fire” were heard in the district of Bouca, on the road leading to Bossangoa, a military source in Bangui told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“That weapons fire caused people to flee in all directions,” the source said.
These clashes caused some 10 deaths on Sunday in Bossangoa, including two employees of the humanitarian organization ACTED, another military source said.
At least four fighters from Seleka were also killed, the presidency’s spokesman said.
Last week, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported that thousands of people had been displaced and at least eight villages were razed to the ground during recent violence in the north of the country, which has long been a lawless territory outside the towns.
Since Seleka seized power, the security situation has remained chaotic in the poor landlocked country, and President Djotodia’s regime faces a major challenge in restoring order and disarming ex-combatants, despite the presence of a regional military peacekeeping force in the capital Bangui.
The Central African Republic has been chronically unstable since independence from France in 1960, plagued by coups, rebellions, army mutinies and prolonged strikes by civilians. The unrest has prevented the exploitation of resources such as uranium, gold, diamonds and oil.