Six Militiamen Killed by Peacekeepers in C. Africa

Six militiamen were killed in an exchange of fire with international troops in the Central African Republic after they refused to lay down their arms, the U.N. force MINUSCA said on Thursday.

The deaths came after several days of violence pitting Christians against Muslims that has now left at least 15 people dead, including a Pakistani soldier serving with MINUSCA.

An official from the U.N. force told Agence France Presse: "We counted six victims after an exchange of fire... in Bangui between international forces and anti-balaka forces on Wednesday. They were refusing to lay down their weapons."

The anti-balaka are vigilante groups set up by the Central African Republic's majority Christian communities to seek vengeance, mainly against Muslim civilians whom they accuse of backing a Muslim rebel alliance, the Seleka, which seized power in a coup last year.

The Seleka was forced to stand aside in January this year and its leader Michel Djotodia was replaced by a transitional president, Catherine Samba Panza.

Four U.N. peacekeepers were wounded Wednesday in an ambush by anti-balaka militiamen near Bangui's airport.

The 7,600-strong MINUSCA force took charge of peacekeeping operations in mid-September. The beefed-up force took over from a smaller U.N. Security Council-mandated African deployment.

MINUSCA will eventually be boosted to 12,000 soldiers and police officers.