Muslims Flee 'Horrific' Violence In C.A.R

Thousands of Muslims have fled the capital of the Central African Republic, fearing for their lives as "horrific" sectarian violence has spread.

Christians lined the streets to cheer as the Muslims left, protected by troops from neighbouring Chad.

One man who fell from an overloaded lorry was brutally killed by the crowds.

"He didn't even have the time to fall - he landed into the hands of the angry mob who then lynched him at the scene," said Armando Yanguendji, a resident of the Gobongo district of Bangui.

Another vehicle only escaped attack when Burundian peacekeepers fired into the air to disperse the crowd.

Angry mobs have set fire to mosques and brutally killed anyone accused of collaborating with the Muslim government which took power last March but lost power some months later have been targeted.

On Wednesday, a person suspected of having helped last March's overthrow of President Francois Bozize was attacked for 15 minutes with knives, bricks and feet by soldiers just minutes after a ceremony attended by the interim president.

Uniformed soldiers then paraded his body through the streets before it was dismembered and set on fire.

Peter Bouckaert from Human Rights Watch said: "It really is a horrific situation. All over Bangui, entire Muslim neighbourhoods are being destroyed and emptied.

"Their buildings are being destroyed and being taken apart, brick by brick, roof by roof, to wipe out any sign of their once existence in this country."

The International Criminal Court in The Hague has opened an initial investigation into war crimes in the country.

"My office has reviewed many reports detailing acts of extreme brutality ... and allegations of serious crimes being committed," Fatou Bensouda said in a statement.

An alliance of Muslim rebel groups from the north joined up to oust the president from power early in 2012, but their grievances were political and economic not religious.

The rebels known as Seleka quickly became despised by Christians in the capital after some of the fighters went on looting sprees, raping and killing civilians at random.

An armed Christian movement known as the anti-Balaka (anti-machete), aided by loyalists of President Bozize, began retaliating several months later.

Christian fighters attempted to overthrow the Muslim rebel government in early December, leading to bloodshed that left more than 1,000 people dead in a few days.

Muslim rebel leader Michel Djotodia who took power last March has stepped aside, and the country is currently being led by former Bangui mayor Catherine Samba-Panza as interim president.

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