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UN staff abducted in CAR by anti-balaka released

Xinhua, January 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

A United Nations staff who was abducted Tuesday by the militant group anti-balaka was released Wednesday in Central African Republic (CAR)'s capital Bangui, a source who declined to be named told Xinhua via phone.

The source in Bangui said the staff was released because he is an Iraqi, not a person from the west.

The source said anti-balaka wanted to abduct a French or somebody from the west to exchange with their leader who was arrested by UN peacekeepers recently.

In addition, a French lady, 67, who is a charity worker and was abducted on Monday by anti-balaka is still unreleased. The negotiation on the release is underway, the source said.

According to the source, the atmosphere in Bangui is tense.

A civil war in CAR broke out on Dec. 10, 2012 between Seleka rebel coalition and government forces. Seleka took power from the then president Francois Bozize in March 2013 and the rebel's leader Michel Djotodia declared himself as president.

Elected provisional president by a National Transitional Council in April 2013, Djotodia was forced to quit power in January 2014 amid worsening violence between Christian anti-balaka group and Muslim Seleka. Endi