Head of election commission resigns in Central African Republic

BANGUI (Reuters) - The president of Central African Republic's election commission said he was resigning on Friday, casting further doubt on plans for a vote meant to restore democracy to a country rocked by fighting since 2013. Dieudonne Kombo Yaya gave no reasons for his decision but told state radio he doubted the vote, scheduled for Oct. 18, could be held this year. The authority's vice president also stepped down last month. The elections are supposed to bring in a new government with the authority to restore order in one of Africa's most turbulent states and pave the way for the departure of U.N. and French peacekeepers. Central African Republic plunged into turmoil in 2013 when Muslim rebels from an umbrella group called Seleka seized power in the majority-Christian country. Seleka handed power to a transitional government in 2014 under international pressure but months of violence followed, killing thousands and resulting in the effective partition of the country. The murder of a Muslim man in the capital in late September triggered another burst of inter-communal violence that killed at least 40 people, forced 40,000 to flee and destroyed homes, shops and humanitarian offices.