The Congolese soldier was stationed in the remote town of Bossangoa, which has been at the epicenter of the fighting between the country's Muslim minority, whose members grabbed power in a coup nine months ago, and the nation's Christian majority.
He was killed by the anti-balaka, a Christian militia, the official said on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak on the matter.
"His body was brought back to Brazzaville an hour ago," said the official, who accompanied the soldier's remains to the capital of the Republic of Congo late yesterday.
French and UN forces deployed to Central African Republic earlier this month to try to bring order to a nation described by some as being on the verge of genocide.
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Initially, the foreign forces were cheered by the population, hundreds of whom lined the streets to welcome arriving brigades.
But within weeks, the mood has changed and the international forces are now being seen as having taken sides in the conflict.
French troops have come under attack from the Seleka rebels, the Muslim fighters who overthrew the country's Christian president in March. That's because the French are seen as being against the Muslim interim president, Michel Djotodia.
Also yesterday in Central African Republic's capital, a Muslim man and his son were lynched by an angry Christian mob near the airport.
Tony Ferrera, who is among the 40,000 refugees seeking shelter at the international airport, said Christians there had organized a march to demand the departure of the Muslim president.
Ferrera said that as the Christian crowd was marching, a Muslim family came from the opposite direction. When the man brandished a gun and began shooting in the air, the mob pounced on him, accusing him of being a Seleka rebel.
His wife was able to run away, Ferrera said.