Photos: Central African Republic rebels stop advance
January 2, 2013
A Chadian soldier fighting in support of Central African Republic president Francois Bozize, sits on a truck in a convoy of other Chadian soldiers near Damara, about 70km (44 miles) north of the capital Bangui, Central African Republic Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. After troops under Bozize seized the capital in 2003 amid volleys of machine-gun and mortar fire, he dissolved the constitution and parliament, and now a decade later it is Bozize himself who could be ousted from power with rebels having seized more than half the country and made their way to the doorstep of the capital in less than a month. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Chadian soldiers, part of a convoy of the FOMAC multinational force of central African states, man a position near Damara on January 2, 2013. The commander of the multinational African force FOMAC warned rebels in the Central African Republic against trying to take the key town of Damara, saying it would "amount to a declaration of war". Damara is the last strategic town between the Seleka rebel coalition and the capital Bangui, after the rebels seized much of the country in a three-week advance that began in the north and has brought them to within 160 kilometres (100 miles) of the capital, in the south. SIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images
A Central African Republic soldier walks past a vendor on a street in Bangui December 31, 2012. Central African Republic's embattled President Francois Bozize said on Sunday he was ready to share power with the leaders of a rebellion that has swept aside government defences to within striking distance of the capital Bangui. REUTERS/Luc Gnago
Demonstrators hold a placard reading "We want peace 2013 = Petrol" at the airport in Bangui, as the President of the Central African Republic greets the current president of the African Union and President of Benin, on December 30, 2012. Rebels in the Central African Republic who have advanced towards the capital Bangui warned they could enter the city even as the head of the African Union prepared to launch peace negotiations. Central African President Francois Bozize also stated today he was open to a national unity government after talks with rebel leaders and that he would not run for president in 2016. SIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images
Central African Republic soldiers ride past on a motorcycle on a street in Bangui December 31, 2012. Central African Republic's embattled President Francois Bozize said on Sunday he was ready to share power with the leaders of a rebellion that has swept aside government defences to within striking distance of the capital Bangui. REUTERS/Luc Gnago
A young boy plays with a tire on a wooden stall at the market in the Bimbo neighborhood of the capital Bangui, Central African Republic, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. President Francois Bozize's government is coming under growing threat as rebels vowing to overthrow him rejected appeals from the African Union to hold their advance and try to form a coalition government. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Chadian soldiers who are fighting in support of Central African Republic president Francois Bozize, sit in a truck full of rocket-propelled grenades on the road leading to Damara, about 70km (44 miles) north of the capital Bangui, Central African Republic Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. More than 30 truckloads of troops from Chad line the two-lane highway just outside of Damara, supporting government forces who want to block a new rebel coalition from reaching the capital, and Gen. Jean Felix Akaga, who heads a 10-nation regional force, says the town is a "red line that the rebels cannot cross" or his forces will attack. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Central African Republic soldiers patrol in a street of Bangui on December 31, 2012. Nightfall in Bangui's normally bustling streets brings an eery quiet to the capital of the Central African Republic, where authorities have enacted a curfew ahead of a possible rebel move on the city. Rebels from a coalition known as Seleka, who took up arms on December 10 near the border with Chad and have met little resistance from government troops, warned they could enter Bangui. SIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images
Soldiers from the Republic of Congo, operating under a multinational central-african regional mandate, drive away in a truck after arriving by airplane to boost existing forces, at an airport in Bangui, Central African Republic Monday, Dec. 31, 2012. Rebels in the Central African Republic on Monday rejected appeals for them to halt their advances and to negotiate to form a coalition government. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Soldiers from Congo Brazzaville, part of the Multinaional Force of the Economic Community of Central African States (FOMAC), arrive at the airport in Bangui, on December 31, 2012. Congo announced today the deployment of a battalion of 120 soldiers to the Central African Republic's capital Bangui at the request of the Tchadian President Idriss Deby, who is currently the president of FOMAC. Meanwhile rebels in the Central African Republic vowed to take the last key town before the capital and renewed their call for the president to stand down, voicing scepticism over his pledge to make concessions. SIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images
Soldiers from the Congolese contingent of the Central African Multinational Force (FOMAC) gather as they arrive at an airport in Bangui, December 31, 2012. Central African Republic's embattled President Francois Bozize said on Sunday he was ready to share power with the leaders of a rebellion that has swept aside government defences to within striking distance of the capital. REUTERS/Luc Gnago
Chadian soldiers, part of a convoy of the FOMAC multinational force of central African states, man a position near Damara on January 2, 2013. The commander of the multinational African force FOMAC warned rebels in the Central African Republic against trying to take the key town of Damara, saying it would "amount to a declaration of war". Damara is the last strategic town between the Seleka rebel coalition and the capital Bangui, after the rebels seized much of the country in a three-week advance that began in the north and has brought them to within 160 kilometres (100 miles) of the capital, in the south. SIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images
A car heavily weighed down with food, passengers and belongings becomes grounded at the back while driving away from Damara where pro-government forces are digging in against the rebel advance, about 70km (44 miles) north of the capital Bangui, Central African Republic Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. More than 30 truckloads of troops from Chad line the two-lane highway just outside of Damara, supporting government forces who want to block a new rebel coalition from reaching the capital, and Gen. Jean Felix Akaga, who heads a 10-nation regional force, says the town is a "red line that the rebels cannot cross" or his forces will attack. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Victor Keita, who said he was born in 1928, stands outside one of the many empty houses of his neighbors who have fled, in the town of Damara where pro-government forces are digging in against the rebel advance, about 70km (44 miles) north of the capital Bangui, Central African Republic Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. After troops under Bozize seized the capital in 2003 amid volleys of machine-gun and mortar fire, he dissolved the constitution and parliament, and now a decade later it is Bozize himself who could be ousted from power with rebels having seized more than half the country and made their way to the doorstep of the capital in less than a month. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
An end-of-year sign in French reading "happy holidays" hangs from a largely empty street in the capital Bangui, Central African Republic, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. President Francois Bozize's government is coming under growing threat as rebels vowing to overthrow him rejected appeals from the African Union to hold their advance and try to form a coalition government. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
A man stands as members of the ''Centrafrican Young Patriots'' block a road to prevent rebels from entering Bangui, on January 1, 2013. The death of a young Muslim man arrested for alleged links to rebels in the Central African Republic sparked clashes on January 1, 2013 in the capital that killed a policeman, a police source said. The unrest erupted as countries in the region sent reinforcements to protect the capital Bangui from rebels who control much of the country and are demanding the departure of President Francois Bozize. SIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images
A soldier runs to jump on a moving truck carrying Chadian soldiers who are fighting to support Central African Republic president Francois Bozize, in Damara, about 70km (44 miles) north of the capital Bangui, Central African Republic Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. After troops under Bozize seized the capital in 2003 amid volleys of machine-gun and mortar fire, he dissolved the constitution and parliament, and now a decade later it is Bozize himself who could be ousted from power with rebels having seized more than half the country and made their way to the doorstep of the capital in less than a month. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Nzapalainga Dieudonne, bishop of Bangui (C), arrives at the cathedral in Bangui to conduct a mass, on January 1, 2013. The death of a young Muslim man arrested for alleged links to rebels in the Central African Republic sparked clashes on January 1, 2013 in the capital that killed a policeman, a police source said. The unrest erupted as countries in the region sent reinforcements to protect the capital Bangui from rebels who control much of the country and are demanding the departure of President Francois Bozize. SIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images
Nzapalainga Dieudonne, bishop of Bangui (C), prays in front of the cathedral in Bangui, on January 1, 2013. The death of a young Muslim man arrested for alleged links to rebels in the Central African Republic sparked clashes on January 1, 2013 in the capital that killed a policeman, a police source said. The unrest erupted as countries in the region sent reinforcements to protect the capital Bangui from rebels who control much of the country and are demanding the departure of President Francois Bozize. SIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images
A churchgoer raises her hands as she prays for peace in the New Year's Day morning mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Bangui, Central African Republic, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. President Francois Bozize's government is coming under growing threat as rebels vowing to overthrow him rejected appeals from the African Union to hold their advance and try to form a coalition government. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Churchgoers wish each other a happy new year at the Notre Dame Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Bangui, Central African Republic, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. President Francois Bozize's government is coming under growing threat as rebels vowing to overthrow him rejected appeals from the African Union to hold their advance and try to form a coalition government. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Churchgoers attend a New Year's Day morning mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Bangui, Central African Republic, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. President Francois Bozize's government is coming under growing threat as rebels vowing to overthrow him rejected appeals from the African Union to hold their advance and try to form a coalition government. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
The President of the Central African Republic, Francois Bozize (Center L), walks alongside the current president of the African Union and President of Benin Yayi Boni (Center R), after the latter arrived at the airport in Bangui on December 30, 2012, for talks over the current crisis. Rebels in the Central African Republic who have advanced towards the capital Bangui warned they could enter the city even as the head of the African Union prepared to launch peace negotiations. Central African President Francois Bozize also stated today he was open to a national unity government after talks with rebel leaders and that he would not run for president in 2016. SIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images
Chairman of the African Union and President of Benin Thomas Yayi Boni (C) greets the French ambassador to Central Africa Republic Serge Mucetti (R) while President of Central African Republic Francois Bozize (L) looks on at the airport in Bangui December 30, 2012. Bozize said on Sunday he was ready to share power with the leaders of a rebellion that has swept aside government defences to within striking distance of the capital. REUTERS/Luc Gnago
Current president of the African Union and President of Benin Yayi Boni (L) speaks during a joint press conference with the President of the Central African Republic Francois Bozize (2nd R) at the airport in Bangui, on December 30, 2012. Rebels in the Central African Republic who have advanced towards the capital Bangui warned they could enter the city even as the head of the African Union prepared to launch peace negotiations. Central African President Francois Bozize also stated today he was open to a national unity government after talks with rebel leaders and that he would not run for president in 2016. SIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images
A picture taken on December 30, 2012 shows Eric Massi, coordinator and international spokesman for the Seleka, a coalition of rebel groups in the Central African Republic, in Paris. Centraf Africa rebels on January 2, 2013 are suspending their advance and are ready for talks, Eric Massi announced on January 2, 2013. LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images
A Chadian soldier wearing reflective sunglasses observes the convoy ahead of him, as Chadian soldiers who are fighting in support of Central African Republic president Francois Bozize, ride on the road leading to Damara, about 70km (44 miles) north of the capital Bangui, Central African Republic Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. More than 30 truckloads of troops from Chad line the two-lane highway just outside of Damara, supporting government forces who want to block a new rebel coalition from reaching the capital, and Gen. Jean Felix Akaga, who heads a 10-nation regional force, says the town is a "red line that the rebels cannot cross" or his forces will attack. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
A soldier from the Republic of Congo, operating under a multinational central-african regional mandate, stands to attention after arriving by airplane to boost existing forces, at an airport in Bangui, Central African Republic Monday, Dec. 31, 2012. Rebels in the Central African Republic on Monday rejected appeals for them to halt their advances and to negotiate to form a coalition government. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
A convoy of Chadian soldiers who are fighting in support of Central African Republic president Francois Bozize, travels on the road leading to Damara, about 70km (44 miles) north of the capital Bangui, Central African Republic Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. After troops under Bozize seized the capital in 2003 amid volleys of machine-gun and mortar fire, he dissolved the constitution and parliament, and now a decade later it is Bozize himself who could be ousted from power with rebels having seized more than half the country and made their way to the doorstep of the capital in less than a month. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Chadian soldiers who are fighting in support of Central African Republic president Francois Bozize, ride on their trucks in a convoy on the road leading to Damara, about 70km (44 miles) north of the capital Bangui, Central African Republic Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013. More than 30 truckloads of troops from Chad line the two-lane highway just outside of Damara, supporting government forces who want to block a new rebel coalition from reaching the capital, and Gen. Jean Felix Akaga, who heads a 10-nation regional force, says the town is a "red line that the rebels cannot cross" or his forces will attack. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
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