20 killed in CAR attack

20 killed in CAR attack

March 28, 2014

A grenade attack on a funeral in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic, kills 20 people, a government minister says.

The attack happened at around 23:00 on Thursday (22:00 GMT), Public Security Minister Denis Wangao Kizimale was quoted as saying.

Eleven people were injured in the attack, he told AFP news agency.

The country has been hit by civil conflict since a rebel group deposed the president in March 2013.

Kizimale told national radio that the attackers were “extremists well known to the police”, according to AFP. Reports from Bangui say that Muslims are being blamed. No group has said it carried out the attack.

The conflict has taken on an increasingly sectarian nature, with UN human rights chief Navi Pillay warning last week that hatred between Christians and Muslims in CAR had reached a “terrifying level”.

The mainly Muslim rebel Seleka movement deposed President Francois Bozize in March 2013 and installed their leader Michel Djotodia as president.

The rebels were accused of targeting Christians and in January Djotodia was in turn forced to step down amid criticism he had not done enough to stem sectarian violence

Attacks on Muslims have now become a major element of the conflict, with thousands of Muslims fleeing their homes and even the country.