The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon has condemned the armed attacks on several towns in the Central African Republic (CAR) perpetrated by the coalition of rebel groups known as "SELEKA".
He said these developments gravely undermine the peace agreements in place and the efforts of the international community to consolidate peace in the Central African Republic.
A statement by the spokesman of the Secretary General and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday said "the Secretary-General deeply regrets the loss of life and population displacement caused by the fighting".
It said the Secretary-General welcomed the conclusions of the Summit of the Heads of State of the Economic Community of the Central African States (ECCAS) held in N'djamena on 21 December 2012 and urged all parties to abide by the decisions of the Summit, which provided a basis for a peaceful resolution of the dispute.
The statement appealed to all parties to refrain from any acts of violence against civilians, including sexual and gender-based violence and called on them to ensure the protection of civilians and to respect human rights.
It said the Secretary-General reminded the Government of the CAR of its responsibility to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and its premises.
"The Secretary-General confirms the readiness of the United Nations to continue to support the CAR in overcoming challenges to the consolidation of peace, in collaboration with regional and international partners," the statement added.