At least 70 people have been killed and dozens of houses torched in fresh clashes between Muslim and Christian communities in a town in Central African Republic.<br /><br />Although the leader of the rebel Muslim force, known as Seleka, stepped down as president last month, it has failed to halt waves of tit-for-tat killings. <br /><br />The scale of the violence highlights the challenge facing French and African peace-keepers trying to restore order to a country that has been torn apart by inter-communal violence since mainly Muslim rebels seized power in March.<br /><br />Graceadieu Bangara claims to have been reduced to looting out of necessity and told reporters “You see how it is in Central Africa, how I live. I can sell this air con motor for between one and one and a half euros and so afford to live with my child and son.” <br /><br />There are some 1,600 French and about 5,000 African troops deployed in the country but peace-keepers have been focussed on restoring order to Bangui and struggled to make their presence felt to the north.
