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YAOUNDE, June 21 (Xinhua) -- 17 fighters from an armed group were killed and more than 30 others were injured when they had clashes with UN peacekeepers in Central African Republic (CAR) capital Bangui Monday, according to a report by CAR Red Cross on Tuesday.
A team from the UN peacekeeping troops faced violent resistence from the armed group Monday afternoon when they went to PK5, a Muslim area in Bangui, to try to secure the release of 6 policemen who were taken hostages on Saturday during patrolling in the area, said the report.
The exchange of the gunfire with the peacekeepers brought big casualties to the armed group. CAR Red Cross told Xinhua they recovered 11 bodies from the fighters on the site.
The Red Cross said 36 injured fighters were taken to the General Hospital in Bangui, and out of them, 6 died later.
It is reported the 6 policemen were liberated on Tuesday afternoon after the negotiations conducted by Hamadou Bakirou, a MP from Bambari in central CAR. Enditem
