Central African Republic. France, supported by a UN resolution, begins deploying 1,200 troops, adding to the 6,000 permanent troops in the country, to counter the increase in violence in recent months, following the civil war between Islamic and Christian militias. The Muslim Seleka gangs kill men, women, and children. Their opponents, the Christian self-defense groups, the “anti-balakas” (anti-machete) militias, generally kill only men, even those as young as 5 or 6 years old. The Seleka are Chadians, Darfuri Landsknechts, and Central Africans and are initially supported by President Michael Djotodia, who in reality controls only the northern part of the country (the Muslim prefectures of Vaga and Bamingui, with only 4% of the population, almost all of whom are illiterate), the diamond mines, and the oil fields.
