UN backs Central African Republic mission Violence sweeps Central African Republic RAW VISION: Dozens killed in fighting between the mostly Muslim ex-rebels who have controlled the country since March and Christians who support the ousted president. PT0M42S http://www.smh.com.au/action/externalEmbeddedPlayer?id=d-2yukv 620 349 December 6, 2013 - 1:47PM Nairobi: The United Nations has unanimously authorised increased force to stop a religious war spiralling into genocide in the Central African Republic. Britain was in talks on Thursday night to join the growing international military coalition, after an estimated 130 people died yesterday in the worst fighting in months to hit the capital, Bangui. French and African Union forces will nearly double from the current 2500 to 4500, including 1200 French soldiers whom President Francois Hollande ordered last week to be sent to the impoverished former French colony. Mr Hollande said the 600 troops already in the country would be doubled "within a few days, even a few hours" in response to the Central African Republic "calling us for help." French defence sources said Britain had offered to send military transport aircraft, which would most likely be used to ferry French forces and equipment to the country. The Obama administration has pledged $40 million to support the African Union forces, The Washington Post reported. The international troops will form the muscle of a new peacekeeping force approved by the UN Security Council to replace a mission that has been unable to stem months of bloodshed. Their initial task will be to restore security and protect civilians in the impoverished country. The operation was stepped up after fighting erupted in Bangui before dawn on Thursday and quickly spread to areas close to the international airport, and suburbs to the city's north and east. By late afternoon, 80 bodies had been collected at one mosque or were strewn in the streets nearby, mostly with signs of gunshot and machete wounds. Medecins Sans Frontieres reported another 50 dead in a morgue at one of the city's hospitals. The charity's doctors had treated 90 people, 70 of them with serious injuries, according to Thomas Curbillon, its director in Bangui. The UN plan follows France's successful intervention in Mali, another of its former African colonies, where its troops helped to stop the advance of al-Qaeda Islamists on the capital. In the Central African Republic, Muslim rebel militia who swept through the country to seize the capital in March have refused to disarm after putting their leader, Michel Djotodia, in power. They have since rampaged through Christian areas killing, raping and looting. Christian self-defence groups have formed in response and more than half a million people have fled their homes as the conflict has intensified. Rights groups say both sides may have committed war crimes, and officials in Paris and Washington have warned the country could slide towards genocide. One UN official has said the situation was "complete chaos." Nicolas Tiangaye, the Central African Republic's Prime Minister, called for international reinforcements to be sent without delay. The new clashes began when Christian vigilantes reportedly began searching for Muslim fighters and their supporters, provoking retaliation from the Seleka forces, loyal to the President, still in the city. There are many of them. Some of them are well armed with rifles and rocket launchers. Others are dressed in civilian clothes with machetes," said General Arda Hakouma, the head of Mr Djotodia's personal security detail. One Bangui resident said he saw dozens of Christian fighters armed with AK-47s and rocket launchers marching through one neighbourhood in military fatigues or jeans and shorts. One told him: "Stay at home. Show us the houses of the Muslims. British defence sources said any mission would probably be similar to involvement in Mali, where Paris called on RAF planes to ferry equipment into the country, and stressed that there was no likelihood of committing ground forces. "Sending UK combat troops is not on the table," a Ministry of Defence spokesman said. The plan is expected to involve the use of RAF C-17 transport aircraft to ferry in military supplies, and possibly French and African Union troops.