UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - About 20,000 people are trapped in 16 minority communities in Central African Republic because "if they leave, they may be attacked before they reach safety," said the top U.N. official in the country, which has been racked by sectarian violence.
Seleka rebels, who are mainly Muslim, seized power in Central African Republic more than a year ago and perpetrated abuses on the majority Christian population that triggered waves of revenge attacks, leading to thousands of deaths and forcing about a million people to flee their homes.