Muslim Seleka Rebel Leader Declares Autonomous State in Central African Republic

A Muslim rebel leader in the Central African Republic (CAR) has declared an autonomous state in his northeastern stronghold after rejecting upcoming elections aimed at ending years of conflict.

A spokesman and chief lieutenant for Nourredine Adam, the leader of a splinter faction of the Muslim Seleka rebel group, said the Republic of Logone was proclaimed in the northeast on Monday.

"What we want first of all is autonomy. Then we'll look at how to move towards independence," Maouloud Moussa told Reuters from the group's headquarters in the town of Kaga-Bandoro.

"Muslims are marginalised ... The north has been abandoned by the central government. There are no roads, no hospitals, no schools."The spokesman for Central African Republic's transitional government immediately denounced the rebels' declaration, Reuters reported. "We call upon the international community and the international forces present in Central African Republic to do everything possible to neutralise the capacity to do harm of these terrorists," said Dominique Said Panguindji.

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