Ethnic Fulanis targeted in CAR violence - UN

The United Nations has singled out militia fighters in Central African Republic for hunting down and massacring members of the Fulani ethnic group.

Clashes erupted on Monday in Bria, a town about 600 km northeast of the capital Bangui, between rival rebel groups leading to the death of 85 people.

In a statement, the U.N.‘s special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Adama Dieng said the Popular Front for the Renaissance of Central African Republic (FPRC) reportedly singled out ethnic Fulani in the town, carrying out house-to-house searches, killing, looting and abducting residents.

FPRC fighters also entered hospital buildings and prevented wounded Fulani from receiving medical treatment.

The UN official said that in addition to the dead, another 76 people were wounded and nearly 11,000 displaced by the violence.

CAR descended into sectarian violence following the ouster of former president Francois Bozize in 2013.

Successful elections, seen as essential to ending the chaos, were held earlier this year. However, flare-ups of violence are a regular occurrence.