Central African Republic: Muslims Try to Flee but Are Turned Back
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Version 0 of 1. Thousands of Muslims who tried to flee the violence in the Central African Republic’s capital were turned back by peacekeepers on Friday, as crowds of Christians shouted, “We’re going to kill you all!” The convoy was turned back because peacekeepers feared that it would be attacked on its way through some parts of the capital, Bangui. Also on Friday, France announced that it would send 400 more soldiers to the country, a former French colony, to join the 1,600 French soldiers and nearly 6,000 African peacekeepers already there. Christian militiamen and mobs have accused Muslims of supporting the rebel government that ruled for 10 months before being ousted last month as it faced accusations of atrocities. On Friday, the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, warned that “the very fabric of society, woven over generations, is being ripped apart” in the country. Mr. Ban added, “We cannot claim to care about mass atrocity crimes and then shrink from what it means to actually prevent them.” |