Darfur militants occupy town
Nearly 1,000 armed men, thought to be from Sudan's troubled Darfur region, have occupied a town in the Central African Republic, the main rebel leader in the region said today.
The men are believed to have crossed into the country from the northern outpost of Am-Dafock, about 620 miles from Bangui, which sits at the border with Sudan. They are now in Sam-Ouandjia, a town in the centre of the country, roughly 400 miles from the capital.
"They have arrived in the town nearly two days ago disguised as refugees," said Damane Zakaria, a rebel leader who recently signed a peace accord with the government of the Central African Republic.
Officials in the capital declined to comment on the development.
Zakaria, who heads the Union of Democratic Forces Coalition, which controls the north-east of the country, said the men are being led by his former comrade-in-arms Abacar Sabone.
Sabone, who is in prison in the country of Benin, defected from Zakaria's group when the rebel leader agreed to sign the peace accord on April 13.
The Central African Republic has suffered decades of army revolts, coups and rebellions since it gained independence from France in 1960.
