The streets of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, were almost empty on Sunday after an evening of panic and a government declared curfew until 6am.<br/> <br />City residents were anxious after rebel forces took Sibut, 190km north of Bangui.<br/> <br />Their advance to the strategic city ramped up tensions.<br/> <br />The rebels, who given mixed messages on peace talks, say they could still sweep into the capital within hours.<br/> <br />Villages on the outskirts of the capital are tense, as many flee to Bangui fearing an escalation in fighting.<br/> <br />The three-week-old uprising by SELEKA rebels pose the biggest threat yet to the almost decade long rule of President Francois Bozize.<br/> <br />The Seleka rebels have threatened to overthrow Bozize if he does not honour a previous deal offering former fighters pay and jobs.<br/> <br />The country has remained poor since independence in 1960, despite rich deposits of uranium, gold and diamonds.
