Central African Republic: Rebels Take Capital

Rebels in the Central African Republic have taken control of the capital and forced the president to flee, according to sources.

The Seleka rebel coalition said it had seized Bangui and that President Francois Bozize had escaped to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

There was no independent confirmation, but the account was confirmed by government officials on Sunday morning.

Eric Massi, a spokesman for Seleka, told Reuters by telephone from Paris: "The palace has just fallen. We have the palace."

Presidency spokesman Gaston Mackouzangba confirmed: "The rebels control the town. I hope there will not be any reprisals."

France announced on Sunday afternoon it would be sending another 350 troops to the country to join the 250 already there.

The rebels fought their way to the northern suburbs of the riverside capital late on Saturday before an overnight lull in the fighting.

Residents said heavy weapons fire erupted across the city around 8am local time (0700 GMT) on Sunday.

Colonel Djouma Narkoyo, a Seleka spokesman in Bangui, told the AFP newswire the rebels were planning to move on to the national radio station where rebel leader Michel Djotodia would make an address.

President Bozize is said to have fled to Democratic Republic of Congo

Col Narkoyo said: "Today will be decisive. We call on our brothers in FACA (the Central African army) to lay down their arms."

Seleka had seized several towns across Central African Republic (CAR) in December but stopped their advance and signed a peace accord with the government. 

A week ago, the two-month-old peace deal collapsed as the rebels in the notoriously unstable but resource-rich former French colony ignored a call for talks to avoid a "bloodbath".

The conflict sent terrified residents of Bangui fleeing into the surrounding countryside.

One witness told AFP: "We heard gunfire everywhere in the city centre. It was chaos. Everyone started running in all directions."

Paris-based rebel spokesman Eric Massi said the rebel leadership was urging its forces on the ground to refrain from "looting or score-settling with the local population".

The French have called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the deteriorating situation.

France has not issued an evacuation order, but its estimated 1,250 nationals in the country were advised to stay at home.

It is expected that the 350 extra troops being sent to join the 250 French troops already in the country may be redeployed from Mali, where France has been fighting an Islamist insurgency.

The UN Security Council on Friday voiced strong concern about the rebel advances "and their humanitarian consequences" amid reports of widespread summary executions, rapes, torture and the use of children in conflict.

CAR regularly languishes closes to the bottom of the lists of the world's poorest countries despite extensive deposits of uranium, crude oil, gold and diamonds.

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