At least 20 villagers killed during rebel attack

Soldiers stand guard in a market area. FILE PIC/AP

At least 21 people, including children and a soldier, were killed by rebels during attacks targeting a security outpost and a village in northern Central African Republic.

"The rebels first attacked the army checkpoints, killing one person and wounding several others, before attacking the civilian population, killing about 20 people," said Ernest Bonang, a federal lawmaker who represents Nzakoundou, the village attacked Thursday.

The assailants burned down houses in the village, which has been "emptied of its population," Bonang said. The mineral-rich but impoverished Central African Republic has faced intercommunal fighting since 2013, when predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever