Muslims flee African nation

THOUSA NDS OF Muslims have fled for their lives from the capital of Central A frican Republic, with Christian crowds cheering as the truckloads of families made their way out of town.

One man who fell off a truck was killed and his body mutilated, highlighting the savagery faced by those Muslims who stayed behind.

The convoy of some 500 cars, trucks and motorcycles was guarded by heavily armed soldiers from Chad, a neighbouring predominantly Muslim country.

The exodus witnessed by A ssociated Press journalists comes after two months of sectarian violence in Central A frican Republic ’s capital that has targeted Muslims accused of collaborating with the now-sidelined rebel government.

In recent weeks, angry mobs have set fire to mosques and have brutally killed and mutilated Muslims.

On Wednesday, one Muslim suspected of having aided last year’s rebellion was attacked for 15 minutes with knives, bricks and feet.

Uniformed soldiers then paraded his body through the streets before it was dismembered and set ablaze.

“It really is a horrific situation. A ll over Bangui, entire Muslim neighbourhoods are being destroyed and emptied,” said Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director for Human Rights Watch, who has moved trapped Muslims to safety under the guard of peacekeepers.

“Their buildings are being destroyed and being taken apart, brick by brick, roof by roof, to wipe out any sign of their once existence in this country,” he added.

Some trucks broke down even before they could leave Bangui yesterday.

The passengers jumped aboard other trucks, facing constant jeering, threats and stone throwing from the watching crowd.

“The Christians say the Muslims must go back where they came from, that’s why we are going home,” said Osmani Benui as she fled Bangui. “We had no possibility to stay on because we had no protection.”

Central A frican Republic is a predominantly Christian country, with a sizeable Muslim population in its north near the borders with Sudan and Chad.

While some of those fleeing have ties to Chad, many of the Muslims who lived in Central A frican Republic’s capital had been there for generations.

Picture: AP. Chadian troops escort thousands of Muslim residents from Bangui and Mbaiki, fleeing the Central African Republic capital Bangui in a mass exodus.