BANGUI: Two Chadian soldiers, three Muslim civilians and two Christian militiamen were killed in another weekend of violence in Bangui but France’s top commander yesterday denied claims of ethnic cleansing. Paris sent troops to the Central African Republic in December amid talk of an impending genocide as sectarian unrest escalated in the aftermath of a coup.
A campaign of abuses by mainly Muslim ex-rebels led to revenge killings by Christian militias, in violence that 8,000 French and African troops have failed to stem nearly three months on.
But General Francisco Soriano, who heads France’s “Sangaris” military operation, denied claims by the head of the UN’s refugee agency that ethnic cleansing was taking place. AFP
