Clashes rouse fear religious strife may rock C. Africa

Violence that has brought the Central African Republic to its knees following a March coup has raised fears the conflict may become a bloody sectarian one pitting Muslims against Christians.

The deeply poor nation, with a tradition of religious tolerance, has been shaken by a recent spike in clashes between ex-rebels of the Seleka coalition that led the coup, who are Muslim, and local self-defense groups formed by rural residents who are Christian like about 80 percent of the population.