Central african republic
UN troops recapture C.African city from rebels
Rebels abandoned their positions in Bangassou, 750 kilometres (470 miles) east of the capital Bangui, and fled the city following an ultimatum on Friday from...
UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, said those who have left the CAR for neighbouring countries needed urgent assistance with water, shelter, health care and sanitation.
In almost half of polling stations "voting did not take place or ballot sheets were destroyed."
Thousands of people were prevented from voting because of the threat of violence from rebels fighting to oust President Faustin Archange Touadera, said local leaders and UN workers who asked not to be named.
Only a small share of the population is likely to be able to vote freely, as two-thirds of the country has been under the control of armed groups for the past eight years.
Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, strongly condemned the latest incident, and called on the CAR authorities to investigate the 'heinous' assaults.
A statement issued by the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), which began an offensive against the government last Friday, said a "72-hour unilateral ceasefire... will be observed across the country by all patriots' fighting troops."
On Saturday, the Central African Republic's government accused former president Francois Bozize of leading an attempted coup as tensions mount ahead of key presidential and legislative elections on Sunday.
The government of Central African Republic accused former president Francois Bozize of an 'attempted coup' in a statement Saturday, as rebel groups launched attacks in the west of the country.
The UN mission to the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) said it deployed forces on Friday following an offensive by the 3R, Patriotic Movement for Central Africa (MPC) and "anti-Balaka" militias.
"The warlords are profiting from the political agreement for peace and reconciliation in Central African Republic," they wrote, referring to a February 2019 agreement.
But as leaders travel to Addis Ababa this weekend for the latest summit of the 55-member bloc, organised under the theme "Silencing the Guns", there is little question they are doomed to fall well short of their goal.
Michel Djotodia, 71, who resigned 10 months after seizing the presidency at the head of a Muslim rebellion in March 2013, landed on board a Royal Air Maroc flight from Casablanca via Douala in Cameroon. He had been living in exile in Benin.
Russia has made moves to strengthen its influence in the poor but strategic CAR in recent months, sending military instructors to the country and receiving mining concessions as part of a plan to boost its presence in Africa.
The central African CFA union comprises former French colonies Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Cameroon and Central African Republic.
Thousands of people have been killed and about a fifth of the population of 4.5 million displaced in the wake of the 2013 coup.
A new report to the UN says impediments to peace range from attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers to 'doublespeak' from rebel forces, banditry and arms trafficking.
Charles Bouessel, 28, and Florent Vergnes, 30, said they were held for more than six hours and questioned three times on Saturday after having been manhandled by members of the Central Office for the Suppression of Banditry (OCRB).
The slaughter near Paoua was the biggest single loss of life since the government and 14 militias signed a deal in February aimed at restoring peace to one of Africa's most troubled countries.