BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — Nine people were killed and more than 700 houses were burned down in an attack in northern Central African Republic on Tuesday, local officials said.

Rebels with the 3R, a self-defense militia formed during the civil war, said they attacked the village of Nzoroh because of a dispute over the theft of oxen.

“The men of the 3R have the ambition of defending marginalized herders," said Habib Yacoub, a 3R fighter.

But Nzoroh mayor Bertrand Oudin Dimanche, when contacted by phone, didn’t know the motive for the attack. He said that the 3R rebels “have no respect for human life, they kill for political reasons, and the government is inactive and doesn’t protect us.”

The central government said that it was very concerned by developments, and promised to issue a statement in response. The number of wounded wasn't immediately available.

The morning attack left the population in shock, with many fleeing to nearby villages, and others seeking shelter in a larger town, said Jean Robert Ngbadin, a volunteer with the local Red Cross in Ngaoundaye, which borders Cameroon and Chad.

Regional prefect Pierrette Benguere, speaking on the phone with The Associated Press, confirmed the toll and hoped for a government response to drive the rebels out of the territory and find a solution to the deteriorating humanitarian situation.

Central African Republic has been in conflict since 2013, when predominantly Muslim rebels seized power and forced then President François Bozizé from office. A 2019 peace deal only lessened the fighting, and six of the 14 armed groups that signed it later left the agreement.

The Coalition of Patriots for Change, of which 3R is a member, was founded in 2020 in the aftermath of the agreement.

Central African Republic remains one of the world’s poorest countries despite its vast mineral wealth, including gold and diamonds. Rebel groups have often operated with impunity over the past decade, thwarting mining exploration by foreign companies.

The country is one of the first in which Russia-backed Wagner mercenaries established operations with the pledge of fighting rebel groups and restoring peace. But the forces have been accused of human rights violations and defending the military government of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who has been in power since 2016.

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Wilson McMakin reported from Dakar, Senegal.