Exchange of fire for French soldiers against rebels in Bangui

French troops have exchanged fire with former rebels in the Central African Republic's capital Bangui as they sought to disarm fighters following violence in which hundreds have been killed. Two French soldiers were seriously wounded during the fighting and were evacuated to a field hospital, where they died.

French soldiers began operations to disarm, by force if necessary, mainly Muslim Seleka fighters and rival Christian militias, setting up checkpoints on Bangui's main roads and searching vehicles for weapons. French troops have arrested several suspected gunmen as part of their mission to disarm rival Muslim and Christian fighters in the Central African Republic.

Shooting erupted near the airport after Seleka gunmen refused to hand over their weapons, a spokesman for the Multinational Force of Central Africa (Fomac) peacekeepers said.

During the night, the rebels continued to threaten the population. French soldiers patrol the streets of Bangui to restore the security and help to boost the regional MISCA (International Support Mission in the Central African Republic) force also on the ground to 6,000 troops from a planned 3,600.

In the north, same patrols was conducted in the city of the Bossangoa.