Gun shooting
Gun shootingThinkstock

An angry mob of Muslims killed at least five and wounded dozens in a Christian neighborhood in Bangui, the capital of the Central Africa Republic (CAR).

The violence was sparked after a Muslim man was killed and his body dumped in the street.

Eyewitnesses offered conflicting accounts of the today's incident, with some saying as many as 21 people were killed. Most agreed that the perpetrators came from the primarily-Muslim Third district, and that they used automatic weapons to attack the Christian Fifth district. The attackers then reportedly continued burning houses and cars, while local residents escaped to other areas of the city.

The majority of citizens in the CAR are Christian, though Muslim Seleka rebels took power two years ago. Frequent violence between the two sides has left thousands dead and many more homeless. French and UN soldiers watch over Bangui, which has been mostly free of attacks.