Protesters demand UN expel ‘enemies of peace’ in Bangui Muslim area

BANGUI, Central African Republic: A crowd of hundreds headed to UN peacekeeping headquarters in the Central African Republic capital Bangui on Wednesday, demanding the expulsion of "enemies of peace" from the city’s Muslim area, an AFP journalist said.

The protest came after five people were killed and 20 hurt in an attack in the majority-Muslim PK-5 district on Sunday, during a constitutional referendum aimed at ending years of Christian-Muslim sectarian strife.

The attack involving rocket launchers and machine guns disrupted voting in the PK-5 district. It has been attributed to a faction of the Muslim ex-Seleka rebellion that overthrew former president Francois Bozize in 2013.

Heading to the offices of the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA on foot, on motorbikes and in taxis, residents of the PK-5 district chanted "Freedom, freedom!"

At the gates they broke into the national anthem as leaders read a statement urging the UN to help them "expel" ex-Seleka extremists from PK-5.

Sunday’s constitutional referendum was seen as a test run for presidential and parliamentary elections due to take place December 27 to end more than two years of sectarian conflict.

But after Sunday’s violence in the PK-5 area and other parts of the country, a second day of voting was held on Monday.  Referendum results have not yet been released.