Violence hits Central African Republic ahead of Pope’s visit

(Vatican Radio) Armed assailants killed two men and three women in the Central African Republic capital of Bangui on Monday. They also set homes on fire in violence that could further delay elections and derail a visit later this month by Pope Francis.

Witnesses said hundreds of people fled their homes in Bangui after the weekend attack by men from the mainly Muslim PK-5 neighbourhood in which one man had his throat slit and more than a dozen people were shot and wounded.

Brice Kevin Kakayen, a coordinator for the Enfants Sans Frontières charity, said five were killed in part of a pattern in which at least 90 people have died violently since late September.

President Catherine Samba-Panza called on the U.N. mission to return arms confiscated from the army to allow it to assist in keeping the peace.

"Additional efforts must be made to boost the interventions of the international forces and negotiate the placement of advance bases in the neighbourhoods to ensure security at a local level,” she said.

She exhorted the peacekeepers to take vigorous action so that "Bangui can be secured for the coming events that are crucial for the country. The Pope's visit and the elections should be unifying events for the people of Central Africa."