More than 2,300 refugees, including soldiers, have fled the Central African Republic (CAR) for the Democratic Republic of Congo, fearing a rebel advance, a Congolese official said Friday.

On Thursday, 172 men, 347 women and 1,806 children left the Central African border town of Mobay-Mbonga by boat to cross the Oubangui river for Mobay-Mbongo in DR Congo, said Willy Isekusu, local district commissioner for North Ubangi.

Central African President Francois Bozize on Saturday sacked his prime minister to comply with the terms of a ceasefire deal reached with a rebel coalition during peace talks in Libreville.

Faustin Archange Touadera was dismissed as prime minister in a decree read out on public radio and should be replaced by a member of the opposition.

The government and rebels in the Central African Republic have agreed to form a government of national unity under President Francois Bozize and to hold elections in one year.

The plan, reached in the Gabonese capital Libreville, also calls for a ceasefire and for the appointment of a prime minister drawn from the opposition.

Three-way peace talks between the Central African government, a rebel coalition that conquered much of the country over the past month and the political opposition began Wednesday in Gabon, an AFP correspondent reported.

The peace talks, brokered by regional bloc ECCAS, are due to focus on renegotiating peace agreements signed by Bangui between 2007 and 2011 which rebels say have been violated, prompting them to unite and launch a major offensive last month.

The Central African Republic's President Francois Bozize refused Tuesday to discuss resigning at upcoming peace talks with rebels who have stormed across the country and seized several key towns.

"I don't need to negotiate (my departure). Does the rebellion represent the Centrafrican people? I don't need to negotiate the position of head of state," he said in response to a question at a press conference in the capital Bangui on whether he was prepared to accept rebel demands. "These are terrorist mercenaries," he added.

President Francois Bozize of the Central African Republic flew Monday to the Republic of Congo for talks with his Congolese counterpart, who will mediate negotiations between Bangui and a rebel alliance, an Agence France Presse journalist said.

Bozize "should return in the afternoon" after consulting President Denis Sassou Nguesso, a government source said. The Congolese president was due to mediate in peace talks set to open Tuesday in Gabon's capital Libreville.

Rebels in the Central African Republic captured two more towns overnight, Territorial Administration Minister Josue Binoua told Agence France Presse on Saturday.

"The rebels took two towns near Bambari," a town already under the control of the Seleka rebel coalition, Binoua said. "This shows their intent to wage war even during negotiations."

Hopes that the conflict in the Central African Republic might be resolved through negotiation took a hit Friday when rebels said they were not informed about peace talks supposed to be taking place next week.

The rebels also repeated that any peace deal must include the departure of President Francois Bozize -- a demand flatly rejected by the office of the president, who came to power in the desperately poor, landlocked nation after a coup.

The United Nations on Wednesday called for dialogue between the Central African Republic's government and the Seleka rebels besieging the country, offering its help to organize talks.

"We continue to follow the situation with serious concern," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

Rebels in the Central African Republic said Wednesday they were suspending their advance and would hold peace talks with the government, after regional armies sent reinforcements to stop them reaching the capital.

The Seleka rebel coalition's lightning three-week advance from the north of the country to within striking distance of the capital Bangui in the south has raised fears of a spreading crisis and drawn regional calls for negotiations with the government in the Gabonese capital Libreville.