Central African Republic: Many killed as rebels storm Cathedral

Following our earlier report ICN has now learnt that rebel fighters and armed Muslim civilians have killed 'many' people , in an attack on St Joseph's Cathedral in Banbari, Central African Republic where thousands of mainly Christian civilians had taken refuge.

Church officials said fighters from the Seleka rebel movement and armed civilians from the town's Muslim community entered the Cathedral around 3pm local time yesterday.

Fr Jesus Martial Dembele, vicar general for the archdiocese of Bangui told Reuters: “We don't have the exact death toll yet, but many people have been killed. As I'm speaking to you, they are still there.”

A nun inside the compound said in a brief phone call: “They came in. They are killing people.”

Source: Archdiocese of Bangul, Fides