Rebel attacks kill at least 32 in Central African Republic

Rebel attacks in the northwest of the Central African Republic (CAR) at the weekend claimed at least 30 civilian lives and those of two soldiers, local officials said on Tuesday.

Simultaneous attacks on Sunday hit the villages of Kaita and Bayengou, near the border with Cameroon some 500km north of the capital Bangui, said regional administrator Esaie Gbanin, whose death toll was confirmed by a humanitarian source. Many residents have fled to Cameroon, Gbanin added.

The Central African Republic, the second least developed country in the world according to UN rankings, was plunged into a bloody civil war after a coup in 2013. 

The conflict has calmed over the past three years, although large swathes of territory remain outside central government control.