UN approves force for Central African Republic

April 9, 2014: A woman walks past a truck waiting to leave for Chad loaded with goods belonging to Muslim residents of the PK5 district of Bangui, Central African Republic.AP

UNITED NATIONS –  The U.N. Security Council has unanimously approved a nearly 12,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping force for Central African Republic, which has been torn by mounting violence between Christians and Muslims.

The 10,000 U.N. troops and 1,800 police will take over from more than 5,000 African Union soldiers -- but not until Sept. 15.
A separate 2,000-strong French force in the Central African Republic is authorized to use "all necessary means" to support the new U.N. force.
Central African Republic has been in chaos since a March 2013 coup, when mostly Muslim rebels seized power and launched a brutal regime. Christian militiamen attacked rebel strongholds in early December. As the rebel government crumbled in January, the Christian militiamen stepped up the violence, forcing tens of thousands of Muslims to flee.