Two African Peacekeepers Killed in C.Africa

Two African peacekeepers were killed in weekend fighting with militiamen in the capital of the strife-torn Central African Republic, where fresh clashes erupted on Monday, a top commander with the international force said.

Two Chadian peacekeepers and two fighters from the mostly Christian anti-balaka militia died in the fighting Sunday, Martin Tumenta, head of military operations with the African-led MISCA force, told AFP.

Another Chadian soldier was seriously wounded in another outbreak of unrest Monday in the same area of Bangui known as the Combattant neighborhood.

Tumenta told AFP the soldiers had come under attack while traveling on foot through the neighborhood without authorization.

The Central African Republic has been torn by communal violence since the mostly Muslim Seleka rebels overthrew the government in March 2013 and handed power to their leader, Michel Djotodia -- who was himself forced out last month for failing to rein in atrocities by his former fighters.

Violence has continued unabated since then, as vigilantes from the Christian majority have retaliated against the country's Muslims.

Three Muslim civilians were shot dead in Combattant near the Bangui airport on Saturday when their taxi was stopped by an angry mob.

"We have a problem. There are weapons, ammunition, grenades circulating in the camp for displaced people (near Combattant)," Tumenta said.

"The priority is to clean up the camp (where about 100,000 Christians live) as soon as possible."