The president of the Central African Republic has offered amnesty for militias in exchange for disarmament in a bid to stop violence in the crisis-hit country.

Michel Djotodia, who became CAR’s first president in March, told Reuters news agency on Sunday, "The anti-balaka sent us an emissary and said they want to lay down their weapons and leave the bush, but they fear for their security. They gave preconditions ... They asked for an amnesty and entrance into government.”

Djotodia was referring to Christian militia groups known as anti-balaka, meaning anti-machete in the local Sango language.

"Contacts are already established and we will pursue these exchanges in the interest of peace for all Central Africans," he added. "We don't see the harm, because this is the price of peace."

In addition to anti-balaka militia, there are some other groups, especially Seleka rebels, involved in the country’s bloody conflicts.

Djotodia’s government blames the violence in the country on former rebels of the Seleka coalition, who brought him to power by launching an offensive against the government in December 2012 and finally ousting then President Francois Bozizé in March.

On September 13, Djotodia dissolved the rebel group. Some of the rebels later joined the country’s regular army while some defied.

A recent UN report blamed the Seleka rebels for much of the chaos in the country, saying “uncontrolled Seleka elements and unidentified armed groups” in the country committed "arbitrary arrests and detention, sexual violence against women and children, torture, rape, targeted killings, recruitment of child soldiers, and attacks."

In July, the International Federation for Human Rights said at least 400 murders by Seleka-affiliated groups had been documented since March.

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.