CAR refugees flee to Cameroon to escape violence

At least one peacekeeper was killed and another two were injured on Friday, during an attack against the UN soldiers in Grimari, a city located at 200km from the capital of Central African Republic, the United Nations Mission in the country said in an statement.

The increase in the violence in the last weeks has forced about 60,000 people to leave the country and flee seeking refuge in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo and other neighbouring countries.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) the number means a two-fold rise in just one week.

Cameroon has seen an increase in the number of families, especially women and children, coming from CAR, the UN Agency for refugees reported.

People are allowed to cross from Central African Republic to Cameroon, but the borders are closed for traders and trucks, and supplies have not entered into CAR for several days, said United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Cameroon spokesperson, Helen Ngoh Ada.

On Wednesday security forces repelled attacks by rebels trying to seize Bangui, after intense fighting on the city's outskirts in a major escalation of violence that has rocked the country since last month.

At least one Rwandan peacekeeper has been killed and another injured, said the United Nations.

The rebels are protesting the re-election on Dec. 27 of President Faustin-Archange Touadera.