Central African Republic: UN mission issues 48-hour ultimatum to armed groups

The United Nations Mission in the troubled Central African Republic, known by its French acronym, MINUSCA, has given armed groups in the north of the country 48 hours to clear out.

Displaced women and children in at one of the spontaneous sites where internally displaced people have gathered in Paoua town, Central African Republic. Photo: Yaye Nabo Sène/OCHA

The Mission wants to clear a 50 kilometre perimeter around the town allowing displaced persons to return.

Over the last three weeks, some 60,000 people – mostly women – left everything behind to escape clashes between the armed groups Justice Riot (RJ) and the National Movement for the Liberation of the Central African Republic (MNLC).

They ended up in Paoua, where some 40,000 residents took them in.

Now the food and water is running out.

We get the latest from CAR Humanitarian Coordinator Najat Rochdi:

AUDIO: Najat Rochdi, Humanitarian Coordinator in the Central African Republic, provides an update on the fighting in the north of the country.