In pictures: Central African Republic gripped by violence as conflict between Seleka fighters and forces loyal to ex-President continues

More than 40,000 people have been displaced by fighting between Seleka fighters and those loyal to ex-President Francois Bozize. With the country slipping deeper into chaos, former colonial power France plans to boost its force there to around 1,000 troops to restore law and order until a much bigger African Union force fully deploys.

The land-locked country has been gripped by violence since the mainly Muslim rebels, many of them fighters from neighbouring Sudan and Chad, seized power in the majority Christian country in March. Some 460,000 people - around a tenth of the population - have fled the sectarian violence their takeover ignited.

Click here or on 'view gallery' to see more images