Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Security Council Condemns CAR Rebel Attacks by VOA News The United Nations Security Council has expressed "strong concern" about the situation in the Central African Republic, where an alliance of rebel groups has captured towns and threatened to oust the country's president. In a statement Wednesday, the Security Council condemned attacks in recent days in the northeastern part of the country, saying the fighting is a threat to civilians and Central African Republic's stability. The rebels captured the northern town of Kabo on Wednesday, a day after forces from neighboring Chad arrived at the request of C.A.R. President Francois Bozize to help fight the rebellion. African Union chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma also expressed concern about the situation, condemning the rebels' earlier captures of Ndele, Sam-Ouandja, Bamingui and Bria. She said the AU is determined to impose sanctions on those responsible for armed attacks. The Security Council demanded that the armed groups pull out of captured cities, end hostilities and halt any advance on the country's capital, Bangui, located in the south along the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The council also called on both the government and rebels to renew their commitment to a national reconciliation process that followed a 2008 peace agreement. Rebels have threatened to overthrow Bozize if he fails to fully implement a 2007 peace deal. In a statement Monday, the group demanded, among other things, that the government free political prisoners and pay rebel soldiers money as promised for surrendering their weapons. The president of the mineral-rich C.A.R. -- a former French colony -- has been fighting a low-level insurgency almost since the day he took power. Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno is a close ally of Bozize. In November 2010, Chad sent forces to C.A.R. to drive out Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace (CPJP) rebels from the northeastern town of Birao. __________________________________________________________________ [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/security-council-condemns-car-rebel-a ttacks/1568727.html References 1. http://www.voanews.com/content/security-council-condemns-car-rebel-attacks/1568727.html