By Phil Stewart and
David Alexander
WASHINGTON/DOHA, Dec 9
(Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Monday that it will fly African forces
into Central Africa Republic, responding to a request by France to bolster
international efforts to halt the spread of violence between Christians and
Muslims.
Two U.S. military C-17 aircraft
will fly about 850 troops from Burundi into Central African Republic within the
next 24 hours, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Firman, a Pentagon spokesman, said. It
was unclear what U.S. support might follow, but Firman said consultations were
ongoing.
Pentagon spokesman Carl Woog
said the military was working to identify additional resources that could help
address further requests for assistance.
"The United States is
joining the international community in this effort because of our belief that
immediate action is required to avert a humanitarian and human rights
catastrophe," Woog said in a statement.
More than 400,000 people have
been displaced since Seleka rebels - many of them Muslims from neighboring Chad
and Sudan - seized power in March, unleashing a wave of rapes, massacres and
looting on the majority Christian population.
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