Central African Rebels to Resume Fighting

Central African rebels said Wednesday they would resume fighting after a deadline given to the government to meet their demands under a peace deal expired.

"The ultimatum is over. We will return to arms," Colonel Djouma Narkoyo, one of the rebel military chiefs, told Agence France Presse. He said the Seleka rebel coalition was working on a new strategy.

The rebels launched a major offensive on December 10, bringing them to the outskirts of the capital Bangui, over the government's failure to implement earlier peace agreements such as integrating former fighters into the army.

A January 11 peace deal led to the formation of a unity government led by a member of the opposition, Nicolas Tiangaye.

However the pact has remained fragile and hampered by mistrust, with the rebels threatening to pull out of the power-sharing deal if their demands were not met.

The rebels on Sunday declared they would not withdraw their fighters unless the government released political prisoners and South African soldiers left the country.

They also seized five ministers who joined the unity government from rebel ranks after a peace deal and gave the government until Wednesday to fulfill their demands.

On Sunday the United States voiced concern about an uptick in violence in the unstable and deeply poor Central African Republic, after four soldiers were killed in a rebel attack on a southern town.