Libya reinforces troops to guard the president

Libyan reinforcements arrived in the Central African Republic capital, Bangui, on Monday to help President Ange-Felix Patasse put down a revolt by dissident troops loyal to the sacked army chief, Gen. Francois Bozize, news organisations reported.

Radio France International announced that some 80 heavily armed Libyan troops arrived to join another 100 of their colleagues guarding the president. There were reports of city residents fleeing sporadic fighting - which continued overnight in the city of some 524,000 people - but no casualties were announced.

Fighting broke out on Friday when loyalist forces tried to arrest Bozize, who has sought refuge in a barracks in the far north of the capital, Reuters reported. He was dismissed on 26 Oct. after being accused of involvement in a coup plot and after weapons were found in three homes in the capital, AFP reported. However, he has denied involvement saying he backed Patasse during army mutinies in 1996 and 1997. Bozize had refused to submit to a summons by a judicial commission probing this year's coup attempt, on 28 May. He refused to appear before the commission because, he said, he had not been given sufficient safety guarantees.

Overnight Monday, loyalist troops fought off a rebel attack on the home of Interior Minister Joseph Mozoule, Reuters reported, as the Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Lamine Cisse, continued to mediate in the crisis. The Organisation of African Unity - the continent's foremost political body - says it too is sending its representative, Mahamat Doutoum, to Bangui. They are being joined in the mediation effort by Chad's ambassador in Bangui, Maitine Djoumbe, AFP reported.