Former rebels of the Seleka coalition have launched an attack against security forces dispatched to the northwest of the Central African Republic (CAR) following clashes that killed 50 people earlier, an official says.

The attack, which wounded two people, took place in the village of Garga, 200 kilometers (120 miles) northwest of the capital Bangui on Thursday, AFP quoted Colonel Christian Djouma Narkoyo as saying on Friday.

"It was former Seleka fighters... who did these things. It is truly deplorable. It's discouraging to see such things and it's unacceptable," Narkoyo stated, adding, "I reassure the population and urge people to stay calm. Measures will be taken to put an end to this kind of behavior."


On Tuesday, 50 people died and many others were injured in clashes between ex-Seleka rebels and local groups in Garga.

CAR Justice Minister Arsene Sende said on Friday that government forces arrested a rogue former rebel commander along with six of his men in the southern town of Damara, 75 kilometers (45 miles) north of the capital on Wednesday.

"Seven criminals, led by a so-called colonel going by the name of Mahamat Amine and who had emerged from the bush in Damara, were detained by our security and defense forces," Sende said.


The Seleka rebels, who launched an offensive against the CAR government in December 2012 and finally ousted then President Francois Bozizé in March, have been accused of killing, looting, and raping across the country.

On September 13, CAR President Michel Djotodia dissolved the rebel group, which had brought him to power. Some of the rebels later joined the country’s regular army while some defied.

There are many mineral resources, including gold and diamond, in the Central African Republic. However, the country is extremely poor and has faced a series of rebellions and coups since it gained independence in 1960.