Central African Militias Appeal for Ceasefire Recognition

Militia forces in war-torn Central African Republic appealed Friday for international support for an ceasefire agreement struck without government involvement.

The deal was signed last week in Kenya between senior representatives of the anti-balaka rebels and the ex-Seleka movement of ex-president Michel Djotodia.

"We invite the international community to use the Nairobi agreement as a formula to solve the problem of Central Africa," said Moustapha Saboune, political chief of the ex-Seleka group, urging it to take the deal "seriously."

CAR is struggling to recover from the coup that ousted president Francois Bozize and pushed the poor and unstable country into violence pitting the country's Christian and Muslim populations against one another.

The two sides have adopted a ceasefire, a cessation of hostilities, and a DDRR (Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration) agreement, under Kenyan mediation.

But interim President Catherine Samba-Panza's government is not part of this peace process, and many critics have viewed the Nairobi talks with skepticism -- including the ability of the groups to enforce any deal on the ground.

Saboune said they also demanded the replacement of Samba-Panza's government and the establishment of a justice and reconciliation process leading to a "general amnesty."

Violence between rival factions has plunged the deeply impoverished country into an unprecedented political and security crisis.

The mainly Muslim Seleka seized power in March 2013 and put Djotodia -- the country's first Muslim president -- in power.

Djotodia stepped down in January 2014 under strong international pressure for his failure to rein in rogue ex-rebels, who relentlessly murdered, raped and stole from civilians.

In response, largely Christian communities formed "anti-balaka" -- or anti-machete -- vigilante forces who hunted down Muslims in revenge attacks.