Fresh sectarian clashes in troubled CAR kill 35

Clashes in the Central African Republic have left 35 people dead and more than 65 wounded across three days, the country's Red Cross society said.

The latest outbreak of violence came after relative calm in the Central African Republic, where Christian and Muslim groups have for weeks been engaged in a bloody feud.

However, there have been widespread reports of revenge attacks as mainly Muslim fighters withdraw from the capital Bangui.

Earlier this month, a new leader was inaugurated as part of regional efforts to bring peace after months of anarchy triggered by ethnic rivalries.

The fighting in the former French colony is between the mainly Muslim Seleka fighters - originally from neighbouring Chad and Sudan - and the Christian anti-Balaka, whose name means "anti-machete," the weapon of choice for Seleka.

Both sides have been accused of targeting civilians.

Antoine Mbao Bogo, head of the country's Red Cross, said a total of 35 bodies had been recovered from the streets while colleague, Georgios Georgantas said that "unprecedented level of violence" was being seen in the city.

Despite international efforts to contain the crisis, the divisions in the impoverished country remain deep, threatening to tear it apart

France, the former colonial power, has sent 1,600 troop in CAR to help end the violence which has seen about a million people flee their homes.

However, earlier this week, the UN said it might require at least 10,000 soldiers to end the unrest.