December 9, 2013 - 09:33 AMT
France pledges to disarm Central African Republic fighters

French soldiers are to start removing weapons from fighters in the Central African Republic (CAR) from Monday, December 9 by force if they have to, France says, according to BBC News.

A 1,600-strong French force has been sent into the CAR, deployed after days of communal fighting claimed 400 lives.

Rebel leader Michel Djotodia seized power in March and armed gangs, largely made up of former rebels, have taken control of the landlocked country.

French troops are now patrolling the streets of the capital, Bangui.

They were sent into the CAR on Friday after the UN Security Council backed a mandate to restore order "by all necessary measures" the previous evening.

France said on Saturday that the African Union would increase the size of its existing force of 2,500 peacekeepers to 6,000.