New fears of old violence in CAR

Instability is escalating ahead of an election on Sunday in the Central African Republic, where U.N.

Peacekeepers are battling rebels, the president has accused a rival of plotting a coup, and Russia and Rwanda have sent military support.

David Doyle reports.

Bangassou may appear calm today but the town's recent history is written on bullet-scarred buildings and on streets littered with rubble.

With an election on Sunday (December 27) there are fears that a new chapter in Central African Republic's history of ethnic and religious bloodshed is about to be written.

Today security forces and U.N.

Peacekeepers are doing battle with rebels who have seized towns and roads and are threatening the capital Bangui, and world powers have also been drawn into the conflict.

In Bangassou, Ismael Dicky knows the cost of such violence.

"We lost our parents, our belongings, our homes, as you can see the mosque is destroyed.

So really, the consequences of the war are very difficult." In 2017, a militia largely drawn from the Christian minority, and known as the anti-Balaka, attacked Bangassou and targeted Muslims. At the end of a three-day siege, the Red Cross counted at least 140 dead.

The anti-Balaka were a response to the heavy handed rule and alleged human rights abuses of a government that came to power when mostly Muslim Seleka fighters ousted former President Francois Bozize in 2013.

Despite several peace deals between warring militias, the election of President Faustin-Archange Touadera in 2015 and the presence of over 12,800 uniformed U.N peacekeepers - Central African Republic has failed to stabilize.

"Yes we are worried because in past elections, politician didn't get along, unlike us citizens." Once again, the politicians are at odds.

Bozize was recently among 17 candidates barred from standing in the election but Central African Republic's highest court.

Since then, clashes have escalated.

Touadera accuses Bozize of plotting a coup; Russia and Rwanda have sent military support to the mineral-rich but impoverished country.

Some opposition parties have called for the election to be postponed but that's been rejected by the government and the United Nations which has placed its troops in the capital and other regions on high alert and vowed to protect civilians and secure the vote.