New tension rises in Central African Republic after deadly violence

New tension has risen in the Central African Republic after deadly violence in the north killed at least 23 people on Wednesday.

The violence that occurred Wednesday in the northern Kaga-Bandoro town brought panic to the local people.

Thirteen civilians and 10 attackers were killed and several others injured in the attack by a Muslim rebel group against refugees, who lived in a base of the UN mission known as MINUSCA, according to information revealed by sources close to this force.

The UN peacekeepers opened fire to protect civilians from the armed group, said the sources.

Contacted Thursday by Xinhua, Colonel Juma Narkoyo, spokesman of the People's Front for the Revival of CAR (FPRC)), one of the factions of former rebel Seleka coalition based in Bambari, a town in central CAR, gave a different version to the violence.

According to him, Central African Armed Forces (FACA) disguised as UN peacekeepers launched the attack against the former rebels.

Kaga-Bandoro is divided by former rebel Seleka, their rival anti-Balakas militias and other armed groups, who are fighting for control of natural resources, such as gold and diamond.

More than six months after taking office, President Faustin-Archange Touadera, who was elected in February's presidential election, and his government are struggling to mobilize all of these protagonists of CAR crisis for the disarmament of their combatants in order to realize normalization of situation and national reconciliation. Endit