Central African Republic declares mourning peroid for dead The president expressed his condolences to "all Central Africans." He assured in his radio address that "the situation is under control" and urged people to return to their normal routines. Djotodia also expressed his gratitude to France which has sent in troops to patrol the Central African Republic's tense capital. Around 200 French soldiers crossed the border from Cameroon to a triumphant welcome from thousands of Central Africans on Saturday. They complete the 1,200-strong deployment to the former French colony. The Central African Republic leader also decreed a separate period of mourning, to run from December 13-15, in honour of former South African leader Nelson Mandela who died Thursday aged 95. "The whole world mourns one of its heroes," he said. French troops, some of them on foot, patrolled the capital in a visible show of strength. On Saturday, a French armoured vehicle took a symbolic swing past the front of the presidential palace. A fighter jet flew low over the city, where bodies still lay abandoned outside the parliament building. Red Cross staff continue to pick up dead and mutilated bodies from the streets, but have been overwhelmed by the scale of the task. However, the situation appeared to have improved since Friday. Residents contacted by telephone said only sporadic gunfire was heard overnight Friday, in stark contrast to the intense violence of the two previous nights.