AU troops open fire on CAR residents in Bangui

Chadian forces deployed in the Central African Republic (CAR) have opened fire on residents in the capital Bangui killing at least eight people.

It is still not clear what led to the firing during which several others were also wounded.

Some reports say the number of casualties could be higher.

Incidents frequently occur between the mainly Christian anti-balaka militia and Chadian troops in Bangui.

They are part of the African Union Mission in the CAR to help end an ongoing violence which broke out between Muslims and Christians a year ago.

The developments come just a day after French troops killed three people in a skirmish, also in Bangui.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) has signaled its readiness to send troops to CAR to help contain the violence in the strife-torn country.

The peacekeeping force was due to be deployed last week, but the deployment was delayed by the failure of European governments to provide key soldiers and equipment.

The conflict in the CAR erupted after Christian militia also known as the anti-Balaka launched coordinated attacks on the mostly Muslim Seleka group, which toppled the government last March.

Christian militiamen, however, have been targeting the Muslim population as a whole.

French and African peacekeepers are on the ground, but they have been unable to stop the violence and even in some occasions have been accused of killing Muslims.

France currently has around 2,000 troops in the CAR, while the African Union has three times that number.

According to the United Nations, more than 950,000 people have been displaced and thousands more killed by the violence in the CAR.