Two dead as violence mars 'make-or-break' C Africa vote

Two people have been killed as heavy weapons fire and clashes broke out in a district of the Central African Republic capital marring a referendum on a new constitution aimed at ending years of sectarian strife.
A journalist saw the bodies of two people lying in a mosque in Bangui's PK5 Muslim district yesterday, while a dozen others were wounded there, in clashes between supporters and opponents of the closely-watched referendum.
Fire from heavy machine-guns and rocket launchers raged around a PK5 school where voters were waiting to cast their ballots, prompting UN peacekeepers to move in to protect residents.

The vote was seen as a test run for presidential and parliamentary elections due to take place December 27 to end more than two years of conflict between Muslim and Christian militias.
The proposed constitution would limit presidential tenure to two terms, fight institutional corruption and crimp the power of armed militias, blamed for years of chaos and terror.
If adopted, it would usher in the sixth republic since independence from France in 1960 and mark the 13th political regime - underlining the chronic instability undermining the country.

Polling stations closed at 6:00 PM (2230 IST). Results are expected in the next three days.

Some factions of the mainly Muslim Seleka force had threatened to block the vote, as had some "anti-balaka" (anti- machete) Christian and animist militia supporters.
Among the latter were backers of ousted president Francois Bozize, whose candidacy for the upcoming presidential election has been rejected by the constitutional court.
The Central African Republic plunged into its worst crisis since independence after longtime Christian leader Bozize was ousted by rebels from the Seleka force in March 2013, triggering a wave of tit-for-tat violence with "anti-balaka" militias.
Despite the presence of 11,000 UN and French peacekeepers, part of the impoverished country remains out of bounds, under the control of either rebel chieftains or bandits.

General Balla Keita, chief of the UN peacekeeping force MINUSCA, vowed to protect voters.
"We are here, we will stay with them on the battlefield. They (PK5 residents) will be able to vote, they will vote until nightfall if need be," Keita pledged.