Red Cross offices attacked in CAR

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BANGUI, Central African Republic, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross were attacked in the Central African Republic during a prisoner transfer, the aid group said.

The ICRC said its offices in northeastern CAR were attacked the night before it worked to transfer seven members of the nation's military to the capital. The aid group said this was the first attack of its kind in the country. No injuries were reported.

Georgios Georgantas, head of the CAR delegation for the ICRC, said he was "deeply concerned" by the attacks.

"The continuation of our work and the security of our staff depend on the trust placed in us by all parties concerned," he said in a statement.

The ICRC said it was able to repatriate seven members of the CAR military after they were released Saturday by members of the Seleka rebel coalition.

"Since December, we have been taking action in our capacity as a neutral intermediary to facilitate the return or medical evacuation to Bangui of 15 Central African gendarmes, police officers and military personnel released by Seleka," Georgantas said.

CAR and Seleka agreed to the terms of a cease-fire Jan. 11. The terms include a power-sharing deal. The U.N. Security Council expressed concern about the human rights abuses that grew out of the conflict.