French troops traded gunfire with former rebels in Central African Republic’s capital Bangui on Monday as they sought to disarm fighters, Reuters reported.

French troops traded gunfire with former rebels in Central African Republic's capital Bangui on Monday as they sought to disarm fighters, Reuters reported.

There was a brief exchange of fire, and the Seleka ex-rebels “ran away,” Reuters quoted Celestin Christ Leon, a spokesman for the Multinational Force of Central Africa (FOMAC) peacekeepers, as saying.

France said Monday it would start disarming fighters by force if necessary.

Calm returned to Bangui after three days of fighting between Christians and Muslims, in which at least 394 people were killed.