BANGUI - French troops yesterday intervened in fighting between disaffected soldiers and peacekeepers in the Central African Republic that has so far left around 30 people dead.
"As part of support for the African force, French forces in Bangui became involved as part of self defence to stop firing at Senegalese and Chadian positions," Gen Jean Pierre Perez told French television. Gen Perez said the Central African exmutineers had started firing mortars at Chadian and Senegalese peacekeepers yesterday afternoon after a Jull earlier in the day.
Officials of the Central African Red Cross said the death toll after three days of fighting between former mutineers and peace keepers had risen to around 30. Around 70 people have been wounded. The injured in the fighting include five French nationals, who were hit on Saturday by two stray mortar bombs that fell on the French embassy compound.