Fresh violence in CAR leaves 50 dead

In the Central African Republic (CAR), nearly 50 people have been killed over the past three days in a fresh wave of sectarian violence.

African Union peacekeeping force known as MISCA made the announcement on Wednesday.

“Nearly 50 people have been killed since Monday during violence in the Bambari region and nearby villages,” a MISCA officer said, adding that most of the victims “were shot or stabbed to death.”

The announcement comes two days after 17 Muslims were killed at a camp in the central Bambari region.

In a recent report, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) called for an end to the unrest in the CAR, saying that war crimes and crimes against humanity were being perpetrated with impunity in the impoverished African country.

The report added that Christian groups known as the anti-Balakas, have been systematically attacking civilians, Muslims in particular.

More than twenty enclaves containing between 15,000 and 20,000 Muslims are currently under siege by the anti-Balaka militiamen.

The conflict in the CAR erupted after the Christian militiamen launched coordinated attacks on the mostly Muslim Seleka group, which toppled the government last March.

The violence has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people so far. With more than 1,000 people killed in last December alone.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says nearly one million people have been displaced due to the violence.

The violence continues despite the controversial presence of hundreds of French troops in the country.