ANKARA
The lines between organized armed groups and civilian mobs have blurred in the Central African Republic (CAR) conflict which has claimed over a thousand lives, rendering it difficult to identify the people responsible for violations, human rights watchdog Amnesty International (AI) warned in a report released on Thursday.
At the end of its two-week mission in the CAR, AI released a report calling for more international troops to be deployed to the country perishing at the hands of sectarian violence.
The organization also urged the United Nations (UN) to speed up plans to set up a commission to investigate war crimes, crimes against humanity and violations of human rights.
The report also mentioned that many local civilians advocate violent acts of revenge as some even partake in them.
Violence erupted late 2012 in CAR's capital Bangui, gradually developing into a civil conflict as Seleka Muslim rebels removed President Francois Bozize from power in March and Christian communities, such as the anti-Balaka or anti-machete, have started to fight back.
War crimes, crimes against humanity committed in CAR: Amnesty
London-based rights watchdog Amnesty International (AI) said on Thursday that war crimes and crimes against humanity had been committed during the ongoing conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR).
"Our in-depth research on the ground in CAR over the past two weeks has left no room for doubt that war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed by all parties to the conflict," Christian Mukosa, AI's Central Africa expert, said in a new report.
The watchdog said its three-person team had documented violations and abuses perpetrated since violence erupted in CAR earlier this year.
"Crimes that have been committed include extrajudicial executions, mutilation of bodies, intentional destruction of religious buildings such as mosques, and the forced displacement of massive numbers of people," it concluded.
CAR, a landlocked, mineral-rich country, descended into anarchy in March, when Seleka rebels – said to be mostly Muslims – ousted Christian president François Bozize, who had come to power in a 2003 coup.
The months since have seen the emergence of self-styled Christian militias, known as the "anti-balaka."
According to the AI report, anti-balaka forces in some neighborhoods have gone door-to-door, killing around 60 Muslim men.
"The de facto government forces, known as ex-Seleka, retaliated on a larger scale against Christians in the wake of the attack, killing nearly 1,000 men over a two-day period and systematically looting civilian homes," AI said.
The London-based watchdog said violations had continued despite the presence of French and African peacekeepers, citing the murder of at least 90 people since December 8.
"The continuing violence, the extensive destruction of property, and the forced displacement of the population in Bangui are feeding enormous anger, hostility and mistrust," Mukosa said.
The watchdog called for the rapid deployment of a UN peacekeeping force, along with sufficient resources to effectively protect civilian lives.
"There can be no prospect of ending the cycle of violence until the militias are disarmed and there is proper and effective protection for the thousands of civilians at risk in the country," AI asserted.
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