France launches mission to halt Central African Republic violence

BANGUI (Reuters) - France rushed troops to Central African Republic on Friday, its second major African intervention in a year, but clashes between Muslim and Christian militias continued unabated, spilling into widespread killings of civilians. "This horrific cycle of violence and retaliation must stop immediately," a United Nations spokesperson said, citing cases of rival Seleka and "anti-balaka" militias raiding homes and killing adults and children. "Civilians must be protected." The Red Cross said it had collected 281 bodies from two days of fighting in Bangui, but many more had been killed. In Paris, French President Francois Hollande told a meeting of African leaders that the CAR...