AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICA - 17 people who sought refuge in the area of the Cathedral in Bambari have been killed

Bangui (Agenzia Fides) - At least 17 people have died among the displaced who sought refuge in the area of the Cathedral of Saint-Joseph Bambari: they were killed yesterday, July 8, in the assault carried out by Seleka rebels. This was reported to Fides Agency by sources of the Church in the Central African Republic, which for security reasons have requested anonymity.
The rebels also looted and plundered the displaced people of the Cathedral complex, which includes the Bishop's residence and a school, but it is not clear whether the place of worship was desecrated.
Despite the presence of French troops in the city, at least 12,000 people have sought refuge in the complex of the Cathedral to escape the violence.
"What is happening in Bambari is indicative of the current trend in the Country, and this is the concern of all" our sources say. "Moreover, even in the capital, Bangui, where the situation seems calm at the moment, one lives with the anxiety of a sudden blaze of violence", concludes Fides sources. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 09/07/2014)