Clashes in the north east of Central African Republic has killed at least 25 people and injured 51 others. Fighting between armed groups in Ndele led to the deaths of civilians, the situation remains confused.
Humanitarian workers, however, say that members of the Popular Front for the Rebirth of the Central African Republic (FPRC) had clashed in Ndele the previous day.
An official from the United Nation mission MINUSCA said that the Gula wing of the FPRC attacked the Runga faction in Ndele on Wednesday. There were about 100 Gulas who entered the town wearing civilian clothes,” the official said.
There have been clashes between Runga and Gula in Ndele, which is under FPRC control, since the start of March.
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The FPRC last year split into two factions. The Runga ethnic group on one side, including FPRC’s military chief Abdoulaye Hissene, and rival fighters from the Gula and Kara ethnic communities on the other side. They are fighting for control of the region’s resources, including its vast diamond deposits.
Violence in the Central African Republic
The Central African Republic has struggled with violence despite a peace deal signed between the government and 14 armed groups. The country has suffered several crises since 2003, when former President Francois Bozize seized power in a coup.
The country spiralled into bloodshed after Bozize was overthrown in 2013 after a coalition of rebel groups from the largely Muslim north of the country fought their way into the capital, Bangui. In response, mostly-Christian militias known as the anti-balaka struck back, exacting revenge on Muslim civilians.
Since then, fighting has forced nearly a quarter of the country’s 4.5 million people to flee their homes. It has also led to a mix of armed groups as the rebel coalition disintegrated, with rival militias battling over resources controlling most of the country.