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/ 26 May 2008

CAR citizens seek aid against mass kidnappings

Residents in the Central African Republic (CAR) appealed on Monday for international help to curb cross-border rebel raids in which more than 150 children and adults people have been kidnapped. An open letter said the worst incident was in March when rebels looted and burned down houses in the south-east and kidnapped 157 locals.

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/ 10 September 2007

Victims of forgotten conflict

A series of devastating attacks in which armed men loot homes, kill unarmed civilians and burn down villages has pushed an entire population into hiding in remote areas of the north-western Central African Republic. Villagers have fled their homes and taken to the bush, living in the forests to avoid further attacks.

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/ 24 August 2007

Sporadic bush war wearies CAR’s forgotten rebels

Bertin Wafio sits in a village clearing sipping tea from a flask, his teenage bodyguards self-consciously examining their ancient rifles and wearily scanning the horizon. ”We have been in the bush for two years now, fighting to bring peace and security to our country,” said Wafio, one of the leaders of Central African Republic’s Popular Army for the Restoration of the Republic and Democracy.

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/ 18 May 2007

CAR rebels to free 400 child soldiers

Rebels fighting a low-intensity war in the north-east of the Central African Republic (CAR), one of the poorest countries on earth, have agreed to release 400 child soldiers, the United Nations children’s agency, Unicef, said on Friday. A spokesperson for Unicef in the capital, Bangui, said the children were expected to be demobilised in early June.

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/ 27 June 2006

Seventy-six dead as Chad rebels attack forces in CAR

Deadly clashes broke out between the Central African Republic (CAR) army and rebels who crossed into the country from neighbouring Chad, the CAR Defence Ministry said on Tuesday. ”Heavily armed” Chadian rebels attacked forces of the CAR and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa near Gordil in the north-east of the country, the ministry said.

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/ 6 February 2006

Army kills 10 in bandit raid in CAR

Troops in the Central African Republic killed about 10 unidentified ”armed bandits” who attacked a town in the north of the country, sources said on Sunday. The raid happened on Tuesday at Paoua, 500km north of the capital Bangui, they said. Several of the attackers were wounded and others were taken prisoner.

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/ 22 December 2004

Presidential corruption trial postponed

The corruption trial of former Central African president Ange Felix Patasse was postponed indefintely on Wednesday at the request of prosecutors. Patasse, in exile in Togo, is charged along with four co-defendants — all of them close aides during his presidency — with stealing 70-billion CFA francs (about R803-million) in public funds.