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| U.N. Issues New Warnings on Central African Republic | U.N. Issues New Warnings on Central African Republic |
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| GENEVA — Fighting involving Christian militias, Muslims and foreign troops has killed more than 60 people and wounded more than 100 in the past 10 days in Bangui, Central African Republic, United Nations officials said Tuesday, warning that security was deteriorating and appealing for more peacekeeping troops and police officers. | GENEVA — Fighting involving Christian militias, Muslims and foreign troops has killed more than 60 people and wounded more than 100 in the past 10 days in Bangui, Central African Republic, United Nations officials said Tuesday, warning that security was deteriorating and appealing for more peacekeeping troops and police officers. |
| An eruption of violence four months ago in Bangui, the capital, prompted the United Nations to declare the highest level of human-rights emergency in the Central African Republic. Relief agencies are warning that sectarian violence is again pushing up the number of people driven from their homes, putting more pressure on aid delivery at a time when international fund-raising efforts have fallen far short of needs. | An eruption of violence four months ago in Bangui, the capital, prompted the United Nations to declare the highest level of human-rights emergency in the Central African Republic. Relief agencies are warning that sectarian violence is again pushing up the number of people driven from their homes, putting more pressure on aid delivery at a time when international fund-raising efforts have fallen far short of needs. |
| In one of the worst recent episodes of violence, Chadian soldiers opened fire on a crowd in Bangui on Saturday, killing at least 24 people and wounding about 100, said Cécile Pouilly, a spokeswoman for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. | In one of the worst recent episodes of violence, Chadian soldiers opened fire on a crowd in Bangui on Saturday, killing at least 24 people and wounding about 100, said Cécile Pouilly, a spokeswoman for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. |
| United Nations human rights investigators in Bangui have reported occasions of Chadian troops’ siding with Muslims, and Ms. Pouilly said they were trying to visit hospitals on Tuesday to conduct interviews and find out what happened. | United Nations human rights investigators in Bangui have reported occasions of Chadian troops’ siding with Muslims, and Ms. Pouilly said they were trying to visit hospitals on Tuesday to conduct interviews and find out what happened. |
| It was unclear whether the Chadian troops involved were part of the African peacekeeping force in the country or members of the Chadian Army who had deployed to Bangui, possibly to help evacuate Muslims from neighborhoods under threat of attack by Christian militias, Ms. Pouilly said. Further complicating matters, Chadian mercenaries are also said to be operating in the Central African Republic. | It was unclear whether the Chadian troops involved were part of the African peacekeeping force in the country or members of the Chadian Army who had deployed to Bangui, possibly to help evacuate Muslims from neighborhoods under threat of attack by Christian militias, Ms. Pouilly said. Further complicating matters, Chadian mercenaries are also said to be operating in the Central African Republic. |
| Two days earlier, 20 people were killed and 11 were wounded when a grenade was thrown into a group of mourners at a funeral, and at least 15 people were killed when Christian militia members attacked a Muslim neighborhood, Ms. Pouilly said. | Two days earlier, 20 people were killed and 11 were wounded when a grenade was thrown into a group of mourners at a funeral, and at least 15 people were killed when Christian militia members attacked a Muslim neighborhood, Ms. Pouilly said. |
| On Monday, French peacekeeping troops shot and killed a man identified as a member of a Christian militia after he threw a grenade at Chadian soldiers. | On Monday, French peacekeeping troops shot and killed a man identified as a member of a Christian militia after he threw a grenade at Chadian soldiers. |
| “Bangui is heating up — it’s becoming a flash point,” Volker Turk, the director of international protection at the United Nations refugee agency, said in an interview in Geneva on Friday after returning from the Central African Republic. The international troops “clearly are not enough to stabilize the situation,” he added. | |
| In recent months, the Christian militias have evolved from informal armed gangs engaged in local clashes to increasingly organized and militarized groups pursuing a more political agenda, Mr. Turk said. | In recent months, the Christian militias have evolved from informal armed gangs engaged in local clashes to increasingly organized and militarized groups pursuing a more political agenda, Mr. Turk said. |
| The European Union has agreed to send about 1,000 troops to back up the 2,000 French troops already in the country and provide greater security in the capital. Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, has called for the creation of a peacekeeping force, but even if approved, such a force would take months to deploy. | The European Union has agreed to send about 1,000 troops to back up the 2,000 French troops already in the country and provide greater security in the capital. Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, has called for the creation of a peacekeeping force, but even if approved, such a force would take months to deploy. |
| The refugee agency says it is particularly concerned about some 19,000 Muslims outside Bangui who are virtually besieged and at risk of being slaughtered by Christian groups. | The refugee agency says it is particularly concerned about some 19,000 Muslims outside Bangui who are virtually besieged and at risk of being slaughtered by Christian groups. |
| “The level of hatred is extremely high,” Mr. Turk said, describing a visit to a village southwest of the capital where, he said, any Muslims trying to flee would be targeted by Christians and only the presence of French troops had prevented a massacre. | |
| The surge in violence has driven up the number of people who have fled their homes to about 637,000, including more than 200,000 in Bangui. More than 80,000, mostly Muslims, have fled to neighboring countries. | The surge in violence has driven up the number of people who have fled their homes to about 637,000, including more than 200,000 in Bangui. More than 80,000, mostly Muslims, have fled to neighboring countries. |
| The number of displaced people within the Central African Republic is much lower than at the peak of the violence in December and January, but the situation has become so volatile that aid workers say that even in the capital they are unable to visit some areas where the displaced are congregating. | The number of displaced people within the Central African Republic is much lower than at the peak of the violence in December and January, but the situation has become so volatile that aid workers say that even in the capital they are unable to visit some areas where the displaced are congregating. |
| Security remains the biggest need in a state with virtually no functioning institutions and a government unable to exercise authority outside the capital, but United Nations aid workers are increasingly worried about getting supplies in place before the onset of the rainy season in a matter of weeks, when many roads will become impassable. | Security remains the biggest need in a state with virtually no functioning institutions and a government unable to exercise authority outside the capital, but United Nations aid workers are increasingly worried about getting supplies in place before the onset of the rainy season in a matter of weeks, when many roads will become impassable. |
| The United Nations has appealed to international donors for $547 million in aid money, but with simultaneous crises in Syria and South Sudan, barely one-fifth of that amount has been forthcoming. | The United Nations has appealed to international donors for $547 million in aid money, but with simultaneous crises in Syria and South Sudan, barely one-fifth of that amount has been forthcoming. |
| “If we do not get the money we need to preposition relief, we will be looking at an even deeper humanitarian crisis in the months ahead,” said Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the United Nations relief coordination office. | “If we do not get the money we need to preposition relief, we will be looking at an even deeper humanitarian crisis in the months ahead,” said Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the United Nations relief coordination office. |