Central African Republic announces new election date for Dec. 13 as violence continues

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP)_ The United Nations says Central African Republic’s election commission has announced presidential and parliamentary elections for Dec. 13.

U.N. secretary-general spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Thursday that the commission also said that a run-off presidential poll will be held Jan. 24 if needed. The polls were meant to be held Oct. 18, but violence contributed to their postponement.

Central African Republic has been highly volatile since early 2013, when Muslim rebels overthrew the president of a decade. The arrival of a U.N. peacekeeping mission had brought some stability in 2014, which was mostly shattered with violence in late September.

The U.N. mission there reported gunfire Wednesday. It said it also intervened after reports of four people being killed and homes burned.

A transitional government is leading the country into elections.